Cool Collage Cards from Cool, California

As promised, here is a few more of Mary Middendorf’s great cards.  Enjoy!  Oh, BTW, I forgot to mention that Mary also sent two packs of Stampin’ Up paper for PGT to use.  We really needed it. Thanks again Mary!

 

I hope they made you smile too!

Sonja

Mary Middendorf’s Card Art and Generosity…

Hello Everyone!

Been missing’ ya but, I didn’t post last week because I had sad news, in short, No Cards! The boxes at the cancer center were empty and my card production was but a trickle. Little did I know, all of that was about to change BIG TIME!

Stampin’ Up Demonstrator, Mary Middendorf of Cool, California (95614 if you’ve never heard of “Cool”) sent a box of well over 250 cards!!! Every single one was unique and spectacular in it’s own way. Don’t have to take my word for it, look at a small sample here…

Along with these beauties there were cards for every holiday and season. Mary made them to teach others how to create handmade cards. There were cards from as far back as 2009. I know this because Mary dates her cards. They were in pristine condition because she stores each one in clear envelopes. Some even had the instructions posted on the back. These are things I aspire to. Mary isn’t only a generous, caring person she’s also a darn good demonstrator role model!

Tomorrow, I’ll show you Mary’s collage & vintage cards which I particularly love and hope to make one day. Then, on Wednesday, I’ll show you what arrived in this box…

Lee Mae Elkins’ box of 160 cards arrived yesterday! Show ya later…

PGT has gone from Famine to Feast! Thank you Mary and Lee Mae. Your heartwarming generosity arrived just in time. Rocky Mountain Cancer patients and I already are experiencing joy from your art. That goes for each and every one of you who have put your precious art into the hands of folks who are experiencing uncertain, painful, and often lonely times. You are helping them stay connected to the people who love them and are there for them. Bravo!

A Feast of Hugs comin’ your way,
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

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 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

Attention Please!

Hey there all you happy stampers,

I have some exciting Project Give Thanks news to announce.

This Sunday, May 18th, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. there will be a volunteer card making workshop and all of the cards will be given to the Rocky Mountain Cancer Center chemo patients.  WooHoo!

We will meet at the Scrapbook Shack 525 S. McCaslin Blvd., Louisville, CO 80027 (next to Carrabba’s).

This is a FREE event and materials will be supplied.

In addition to sharing your creative expertise and time, please feel free to donate the beautiful handcrafted cards and card fronts that you are not using.  We will give these wonderful handmade cards to some very special people.

One of the many lessons I learned, during my cancer treatment, is that it takes a community of talented and loving people to help get a cancer patient through the overwhelming process of fighting the disease.   Patients often want to show their appreciation for that but just don’t have the energy to shop for thank you cards.  They also want to stay active in their family’s lives by sending birthday, wedding, baby… cards.  That’s where our Project Give Thanks cards come in. They are available, free of course, right in the chemo room which is convenient because receiving treatment usually takes 4 hours and there’s not much to do so, it’s a good time to send a few cards.  As you see in the above photo, our cards are available and well received in the cancer support group meeting room too.

Artist, Chris Pereire, is responsible for organizing this event!  Be sure to thank her when you see her.  It looks like we may be able to meet every month.  That would be a huge WOW!  I’ll keep you posted.

Big Ol’ inky hugs,

Sonja

 

 

Give Thanks for Card Ministries…

My Sister shocked me recently.  This wasn’t the kind of static electric shock we used to zap each other with, it was a shocking comment.  Michelle wrote on my last post that I should keep up my card ministry.  Wow!  The word ministry seemed a bit grandiose for Project Give Thanks’ simple mission of supplying creative homemade cards to cancer patients.  I’d always thought of ministry as a religious trek to a far off land…  But, my Sis is right, WE are tending to the needs of others and that’s what ministering is all about.  Yay Us!  Oh, but we’re not the only one’s using cards to minister.  Check this out…

The folks at Whimseybox in Boulder, CO did some card ministry too… “We dove right into the glitter and glue and by the end of the night we had almost 200 cards for Meels on Wheels of Boulder along with some generous donations.

We had a great turnout and made some new friends as well. It’s amazing the fun that ensues when a bunch of crafty folks congregate. Becky Hensley and Anne Davidson are cofounders of Share Denver. Becky also runs an group called Denver Craft Ninjas which is a monthly meet up of women who are diehard DIYers. These ladies are passionate about cultivating a community of learning, sharing and crafting. We love them for that!

Meals on Wheels of Boulder will take all of our card creations and distribute them, along with nutritious meals, to members of the community to promote independent, healthy living. We hope to spread some cheer this holiday season and what better way to bring good tidings than with a handmade card with a special note inside.”

In addition to confirming our belief that cards are tools of healing, this story reminds us that working in groups is fun and super productive.  Let’s do it!  Gather round some friends and family to make cards or card fronts and share them with people who are fighting for their lives and good health.

Group Hugs everyone!

Sonja

Thanks to David Roederer for sending this story to me.  Mmmwah!

Give Thanks for your consumer power!

Give Thanks for your consumer power!

Hey there all of you wonderful card artists and cancer survivors.  Today, I’m reminding you that money is power and you have money-power.  “Me?” you say.  Yes, YOU!  Buying organic food is using your money-power to send a message: You want and deserve chemical free food!

Here is a fun video to watch and the “dirty dozen” list.  That’s a list of the 12 most chemical laden produce and the 12 cleanest ones.  This list has been around for many years and as far as I can tell no one  disputes it.  My tattered copy never leaves my wallet.    Food for though, y’all !

Check this out, the kids will like it too:  http://youtu.be/SCA6P9lsEfw

Squeaky clean hugs for sale at my produce booth, use your power-money and buy ya’s some.  Oh, shoot!  Save your money, for you they’re free!  Sonja