Simon Says Stamp February Card Kit with DIY Patterned Background (& GIVEAWAY!)

Hi everyone!

My Simon Says Stamp February 2016 Card Kit arrived yesterday and I jumped right into making some cards with it.

Here's the first one, using Simon's Hello Beautiful Stamp Set from the kit along with the MISTI. (It really IS the Most Incredible Stamping Tool Invented! I never would have been able to get all these heart circles lined up without it.)

After stamping the image repeatedly with Memento Tuxedo Black Dye Ink, I coloured each row in with a different shade of red Copic Marker. (I was inspired by the Crate Paper Hello Love Stickers that came in this month's kit). I die cut the panel using the rectangle from Simon's Bundle of Stitches Dies and adhered it to a notecard made from Simon's Cotton Candy Cardstock. I then white heat embossed the sentiment on a strip of Simon's Black Cardstock and adhered it to the card.

Supplies:

SSS February 2016 Card Kit	SSS Monthly Card Kit	SSS Hello Beautiful Stamp	SSS Ivory Cardstock	SSS Black Cardstock
SSS Cotton Candy Cardstock	SSS Bundle of Stitches Dies	Sizzix Big Shot Die Cutting Machine	R59 Cardinal Copic Marker	R46 Strong Red Copic Marker
R24 Prawn Copic Marker	R22 Light Prawn Copic Marker	R20 Blush Copic Marker	R30 Pale Yellowish Pink Copic Marker	Memento Tuxedo Black Dye Ink
Versamark Ink	Hero Arts White Embossing Powder	EK Success Powder Tool	Hero Arts Milwaukee Heat Gun	Misti Stamping Tool
Tonic Studios 8.5 Inch Paper Trimmer	Martha Stewart Scoring Board	Tombow Xtreme Permanent Adhesive Tape Runner

InLinkz.com

If you're interested, you can pick up the Simon Says Stamp February 2016 Card Kit for just $29.95 + shipping. If you'd like to receive this kit and future kits for only $24.95 + shipping per month, you can SUBSCRIBE HERE.

Heidi, owner of Simon Says Stamp, has given me an extra February Card Kit to pass on to one of you! Just leave a comment on any or all of my February Card Kit posts and I'll announce a winner Friday January 29th.

Thanks for stopping by!
Sarah

Lasting Hearts Card Drive

Hi everyone,

I'm sure by now most of you have heard about the Lasting Hearts Card Drive Jennifer McGuire posted about. If not, you can read about it and get all the details HERE. In a nut shell, this card drive is for creating and sending in cards to be given to parents who have just experienced the loss of a child via miscarriage. They are also collecting monetary donations to purchase books to give to these parents to help them through their grief.

When I read about Kimberly's experience it hit very close to home and brought back memories and emotions from 14 years ago when we suddenly lost twin boys half way through our first pregnancy. Four months later we experienced an early miscarriage at 8 weeks. I was devastated. I struggled with my faith. I felt so very alone even though God never left my side and I had some wonderful people helping me through this dark time. Some people didn't know how to respond and that just made me feel isolated. Some people thought I should have 'gotten over it' sooner than I did...not that you ever really 'get over it' but you do get 'through it'. People didn't understand that I was a mother without any children to show for the title... We did go on to have a healthy baby boy, followed by another early miscarriage, before having another son, and finally our boy/ girl twins. They are such blessings and I'm grateful to God for them.

I wanted to make 4 cards for this card drive, one in honour of each of the children we lost... 

Supplies (The Baby Feet stamp was made by Hero Arts but is sadly no longer in production):

Simon Says Stamp Hero Arts STAMPtember Exclusive Prayers Stamps and Dies	SSS Nested Hearts Dies	Sizzix Big Shot Die Cutting Machine	SSS Blue Jay Dye Ink	SSS Jellybean Dye Ink
SSS Rosie Cheeks Dye Ink	Hero Arts Soft Pool Shadow Ink	SSS Smoke Ink	Versafine Onyx Black Ink Pad	Darice Grey Sparkle Tape
Tonic Studios 8.5 Inch Paper Trimmer	Martha Stewart Scoring Board	Misti Stamping Tool	EK Success Cutter Bee Scissors	Tim Holtz Tonic Craft Pick
Doodlebug Polar Pals 6x6 Paper Pad	Various 6x6 Paper Pads	Neenah 110 LB Smooth Solar White Cardstock	Tombow Mono Adhesive Dots Dispenser	Mini Multi Medium Matte Adhesive
Quilled Creations Precision Tip Applicator Bottle

InLinkz.com

I hope you didn't mind my personal blog post. My hope is that if you are experiencing deep grief at this time you know that even though it's such a hard, personal, often lonely thing you can get through it. It takes time. Be gentle with yourself and don't try to rush it.

I also hope you'll consider sending in some cards for this special cause.

Hugs,
Sarah