Creating Love from the Heart(s)

Thank you taking a moment to stop and read what I think will warm your heart.  As you know, I am involved with the I Feel the Love Project, a card for causes non profit organization that collects handcrafted greeting cards for those who are experiencing a difficulty in their life/lives.  

Yesterday, we received a package in the mail.  It was a set of handcrafted thank you notes for this month's I Feel the Love Project.

Here is a part of the letter that came with the that you notes...

"... In 1986 the family was gathered at the hospital waiting for the arrival of their new addition.  Immediately the doctors  rushed baby Jessica to ICU because she was born with a cleft palate, a club foot, paralysis to the left side of her face, thus making her an at risk baby.  She was diagnosed with Trisomy 13 and a heart murr mur.  The statistics at that time were that 90% of children born with these conditions didn't live past the age of 3.  If she did survive, she would most likely have a low IQ, and have difficulty walking and talking if at all.

With years of therapy, two cleft palate surgeries, an eye surgery, three ear surgeries, a feeding tube, learning sign language... Jessica started walking and talking and is now an energetic and very expressive young lady who wants everyone to be happy..."

It is with this love and enthusiasm that Jessica helped design and created these thank you notes for the I Feel the Love Project.  

Jessica loves hearts and the background on the cards are hers and hers alone.  There was no input from anyone else, no guidance or even suggestions given!  There is such a magical rhythm to these hearts.  

Some are open, some are closed, some have side pockets.  And to add to the magic of these cards, they were completed in spite of a tooth extraction and a traumatic seizure.  Jessica is a trooper!

Ms. Sandi added to read hearts and the word cloud on the inside of the card and packaged them to get mailed out.

We sincerely hope you appreciate and enjoy the "thank you" notes and gladly share the magic..."

(click on photo to enlarge)

Set of 12 thank you notes, box, and envelopes.

Mariyah Ava

I Feel the Love Project July 2013

 

If you would like to be a part of this project...  

  

All you need to do is:

Submit your hand crafted card/s by July 31st to:

Madison Womack

IFTL Project

P.O. Box 1203

Atascadero, CA 93423

Project #23

 

Please share your project with everyone by linking it to the I Feel the Love Project photo gallery before you put it in the mail. Click HERE to find the photo gallery. Thank you all in advance.  This could never work with out you and all your continued support.  Spread the word!

The I Feel the Love Project is now on Twitter. Follow us at:
@IFTLProject

Cindy

The sweet smells of home!

Hello everyone!  As you know, each week Angelica from AngSuarez Creative will be sending a prompt to challenge those of us who are interested in self exploration.  We are taking a look at who we are as women and the role we play in fostering our own growth and often times hindering it by beating ourselves up with negative talk, etc.  The program is called Summer of Enough.   

This week for the Summer of Enough program we were given the following thought to finish... I  am Confident in My Ability To...

Prompt #3-  I want to share with you that I am confident in my ability to bake fabulous biscotti.  I bet you didn't see that coming.   

I am a full-blooded Italian and I grew up with women who knew how to cook and bake and of course everything was from scratch, even all the pasta noodles.  I loved watching my Noni, Grandma and Great Aunts cook.  Their houses always smelled so good.  I knew that I wanted to at least be able to make one Italian dish or dessert.  I found that I loved baking biscotti and it is a treat that I take to my Italian relatives every Christmas.  I tend to make it for special occasions, but mainly at Christmas.  Here is the recipe for the biscotti seen in the picture above: 

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups almonds
1/2 cup butter
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
3 eggs, separated
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Zest of 1 orange, finely chopped
3 cups all-purpose or unbleached flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups coarsely chopped chocolate

Directions

Place nuts in a shallow pan and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.  Let cool.  In a mixing bowl cream butter and 1/2 cup sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in egg yolks, vanilla, and orange zest.  In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.  Add to the creamed mixture, mixing just until crumbly.  In a separate bowl mix egg whites just until soft peaks form and beat in remaining sugar, beating until stiff but not dry.  Fold meringue into the crumbly dough, mixing until it clings together.  Cut nuts into halves or thirds and fold in along with chocolate.  Divide dough in half.  Form into two logs on a greased and floured baking sheet making them about 1/2 inch thick, 1 1/2 inches wide and 16 inches long spacing them at least 2 inches apart.  Bake in the middle of a preheated 325 degree oven for 25 minutes or until set and golden brown.  Transfer from the baking sheet to a rack.  Let cool 5 minutes.  Place on a cutting board.  With a serrated knife slice diagonally at a 45 degree angle about 1/2 inch thick.  Place the slices upright on a baking sheet and return to the oven at 300 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes to dry slightly.  Let cool on a rack.  Store in a tightly covered container.

I hope you have enjoyed today's post.  Leave me a comment and let me know.  Have a fabulous day! 

I look forward to exploring my past, present, and future.  There is so much to learn.  After all, I am more than a mother!

Until next time! 

Cindy

23 years of LOVE

PaperCraftingWorld.com Designer

 QT Patootie Pumpkin Pickin' Friends Digi Stamp

Click on link to see digi stamp!

I am having so much fun designing and creating handcrafted greeting cards.  For those of you who are new to blogging and crafting, the Paper Crafting World Design Team creates handcrafted greeting cards, scrapbook pages, altered items, ect. using cutting files and digi stamps from the Paper Crafting World collection.  We are here to show you a variety of different ways that these products can be used and just how easy it is to make simple, yet beautiful, handcrafted items.

I love crafting for a cause and this week's inspiration is my husband Larry.  On Sunday we will be celebrating our 23rd wedding anniversary.  Here is how we looked on July 21, 1990.

Cindy and Larry Womack- July 21, 1990

And here is how we look 23 years later at our oldest son's wedding nearly one month ago. 

Madison, Cindy, Sami, Dalton, Larry, and Aaron Womack- June 22, 2013

Happy Anniversary Wo!  I love you.  We have been blessed with an amazing family.  

So here is one of the cards I am giving to Larry.  I love making cards for him.  This QT Patootie Digi Stamp from Papercraftingworld.com is the center of attention on this card.  She is holding onto a balloon made of wire and a heart charm.  These items give the card dimension without giving it too much fluff.  I think because they are made of wire and silver they go with a masculine card.  What do you think? 

For those of you that are new to card making, this is an easel card.  That means it sits up and can be displayed just like it is being shown here.

To learn how to make an easel card click HERE.

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

Here Come the Boys - Challenge #56 - Anything Goes

FCCB- Challenge # 169 - Set the Scene -
( "23" Pooh Font Set Cricut Cartridge) 

Time to head out the door to work.  Thursdays are a busy day for me.  As you know by now...
I am More Than a Mother.

Until next time.

 

Cindy

What Would I Do If I had to Spend 1 Day Alone?

Hello everyone!  As you know, each week Angelica from AngSuarez Creative will be sending a prompt to challenge those of us who are interested in self exploration.  We are taking a look at who we are as women and the role we play in fostering our own growth and often times hindering it by beating ourselves up with negative talk, etc.  The program is called Summer of Enough.  

This week for the Summer of Enough program we were given the following question to answer...What would I do if I had to spend 1 day alone? - no kids, no work, no phone ... ALONE!

Prompt #3: I know what I want to do if I had to spend 1 day alone.  Nothing sounds better to me than to spend the day somewhere extremely relaxing and peaceful, such as a cabin in the mountains.  I just love the outdoors.  I would spend the day with my Bible, a journal, and worship music.  I would read, write, sing, and pray.  There are times when I love doing these things with other people, but I also love to do them on my own.  Having a day to myself to praise God in the mountains sounds heavenly!!  

So what would you do?  Leave me a comment and let me know.  Have a fabulous day!

I look forward to exploring my past, present, and future.  After all, I am more than a mother!

Until next time! 

Cindy

Spreading love one project at a time

Good morning and thank you for taking the time to read my blog this morning!  I have created a special project to share with you today using this adorable digi stamp from Creative Kuts.

Instead of creating a greeting card, I decided to make a couple of paper dolls for Mariyah, this month's recipient of the  I Feel the Love Project gifts.

Click on photo to enlarge

 

Each doll is 5 inches tall.  

 The sentiment "Hugs to you" was added using the Cameo cutting machine software.

The dolls were separated using the Photoshop program where they also received a change of clothes and a new hair color.  It is so fun to be able to mix and match clothes and to play around with these dolls. The combinations of choices are endless.  I just love working with digi stamps and cutting files.  You can design forever and keep creating new and original figures with the same files!

I hope I have inspired you to make a card or project for Mariyah as well.  She can really use as much love and support as we can send her way.  You have until July 31st to get your cards sent in so there is still plenty of time.  To get all the details, click HERE.

 

I will be linking up my project to Pink Cricut's Link it up Tuesday.

The North County Indians have a game tonight at 7:oo p.m.  For those of you who live here locally, I hope to see you there. Let me know if you would like to go or need tickets to a game. As the Guest Services Coordinator I will be there cheering them on.  No time to rest.

As you know.  I am more than a Mother!!

Until next time.

Cindy 

 Please consider making a donation to the I Feel the Love Project- Thank You

A Card for Mariyah and a Free Digi

I hope that all of you reading this had a safe and fabulous 4th of July.  Thank you for taking a moment today to peek in and see what I am sharing with you.

Today Melin at Papercraftingworld.com is showing her support for the I Feel the Love Project by giving away a free digi stamp on her web site - Mypapercrafting.com.   Head over for all the details.

This month's I Feel the Love Project recipient, Mariyah, is a HUGE Barney fan.  This digi stamp can be used on cards to send to Mariyah.   

Here is the card I designed and created using 

this Barney digi stamp.

Click on photo to enlarge

Barney loves to hang out by his swing set, so a swing set was created by cutting tan card stock and inking the edges with brown ink. Swinging next to Barney and also wishing Mariyah well is a sweet girl cut from the Kate's ABCs Cricut cartridge. 

I hope I have inspired you to make a card for Mariyah as well.  She can really use as much love and support as we can send her way.  You have until July 31st to get your cards sent in so there is still plenty of time.  To get all the details, click HERE.

It is Friday and the North County Indians have a game tonight.  As the Guest Services Coordinator I will be there cheering them on.  No time to rest.

As you know.  I am more than a Mother!!

Until next time.

Cindy 

 Please consider making a donation to the I Feel the Love Project- Thank You

Happy 4th of July and God Bless America!

PaperCraftingWorld.com Designer

 Bear as Uncle Sam Digi Stamp

I am so excited to share with you today my first ever Design Team post on my very own blog.  For those of you who are new to blogging and crafting, the Paper Crafting World Design Team creates handcrafted greeting cards, scrapbook pages, altered items, ect. using cutting files and digi stamps from the Paper Crafting World collection.  We are here to show you a variety of different ways that these products can be used and just how easy it is to make simple, yet beautiful, handcrafted items.

Today, I am honored to share with you a card I made to highlight those who proudly serve in the U.S. armed forces.  As we celebrate Independence Day today, I would like to take time to personally thank those who make the sacrifice each day to keep America safe and free.  THANK YOU!  

And on a personal note, thank you Petty Officer Third Class Dalton Womack for your service.  I love and miss you.

The digi stamp on this card is a flag waving Uncle Sam and it can be found at Papercraftingworld.com.  The stars were made using the Stand and Salute Cricut cartridge.

This digi stamp comes pre-colored or black and white if you prefer to color it yourself.  I think it is adorable!

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

Here Come the Boys - Challenge #55 - Use a Digi 
Sentimental Sundays - Challenge #161 - All Things DIGITAL
FCCB- Challenge # 167 - Red, White, and Blue 
(Stand and Salute Cricut cartridge) 
Cuttin and Stampin Challenge Submissions - Challenge #26
Our Daily Bread Designs - Red, White, and Blue
 

Have a fabulous and safe 4th of July.  God Bless America! Now off to check on my house guests because as you know by now...

I am More Than a Mother.

Until next time.

 

Cindy

Card for Mariyah

I am a Board Member for the I Feel the Love Project. Established in 2011, the I Feel the Love Project is a nonprofit charitable corporation designed to provide handcrafted greeting cards and gift cards to individuals, families, members of the military, and other groups of people currently experiencing a difficult time in their life/lives. The IFTL Project is committed to spreading love and encouragement to those in need through the selfless giving of others.

This month, the I Feel the Love Project is collecting cards for a sweet 4 year old child named Mariyah.  To read Mariyah's story, click HERE. 

Today I want to share a card I made for Mariyah.  It was made with a digital stamp from Papercraftingworld.com called "Bear Princess Standing."  

Click on photo to enlarge

The style of card is called a middle step card.  You can find a tutorial on how to make this type of card by clicking HERE.  

I hope I have inspired you to make a card for Mariyah as well.  She can really use as much love and support as we can send her way.  You have until July 31st to get your cards sent in so there is still plenty of time.  To get all the details, click HERE.

Thank you for stopping by today.  I hope you have a chance to visit again soon as I will be posting Prompt #3 for the Summer of Enough Program.  Now off to my first day of work for Dr. Sima!  I am excited to start another job today.

No rest for me now.  As you know.  I am more than a Mother!!

Until next time.

Cindy 

 Please consider making a donation to the I Feel the Love Project- Thank You