Card Ministry

Many people ask what I do with all the cards I make. I make at least one card or more a day, and the truth is, I give them away faster than I can make them. The majority of my cards go to complete strangers. There is a 'Card Request' forum on Splitcoaststampers that contains the most heart-breaking stories of stampers requesting cards for their loved ones. These are people who are going through the most unimaginable circumstances. I have sent cards to people whose loved ones have been murdered, have died of natural causes, are suffering with a terrible disease, or just need a lift because of depression or some trial in their lives. I'm also a member of BRAK (Birthday Random Acts of Kindness) and send an average of eleven birthday cards to stampers around the country. My local church publishes the birthdays of every member each month, and I send each and every one a card, but I have never received a birthday card from any of them in return. And then of course, I never miss family and friends birthdays and anniversaries. My point in telling you all of this is not too brag about my goodness, because I am certainly not 'good', rather, I am flawed like everyone else. But I keep reading on other stampers blogs that many of them have cards that keep gathering 'dust'. Some stampers even admit to 'throwing their cards away' and never sending them to anyone. And I don't understand why (other than the cost of postage!). If God has given you the gift to create such beautiful creations, and the supplies in which to create them, BLESS SOMEONE WITH THEM! And you know, go a step further and Bless Someone you don't know. So many Card Requests on Splitcoaststampers go unanswered or receive meager offerings, and the requester is often heartbroken. Please, if you have spare cards, don't toss them, but bless others with them.

Now enough preaching for one day. Here are the details of my cards. The first card is going to man who lost his wife suddenly over Christmas. She was a well-loved and well-known stamper. I used the Paper Craft Planet Color Challenge. The colors are Kiwi Kiss, Pumpkin Pie, Creamy Caramel, Chocolate Chip, and Naturals Ivory. The Stamps are Stampin Up! 'For Father', the background stamp 'Sanded' is stamped on the Kiwi Kiss panel, and the sentiment is from the retired Stampin Up! set 'Brighter Tomorrow'. Even though the sad puppy image is unusual for a sympathy card, I thought it worked well for a masculine RAK (Random Act of Kindness).

The second card is for a little boy suffering with cancer. The requester just wanted something to 'brighten his day'. Sending cards to people with a terminal illness is probably the most difficult for me, because its hard to know what to say. 'Get Well Soon' certainly won't work. Most terminally ill patients just want to know that are loved and cared about. For terminally ill adults, I usually send 'Thinking of You' cards, but for kids I try to send something cute and fun. For this card I used Penny Black's 'Critter Party' and the sentiment is $1.00 stamp from Michaels. The paper is by DCVW and is called 'The Pet Stack'. The layout is from this week's Splitcoaststampers Sketch Challenge. Other Cardstock colors used are Chocolate Chip and Brocade Blue. The images in both cards were colored with copic markers.

So if you have a little extra time today or a few extra cards, go ahead and check the Card Request Forum on Splitcoaststampers.com and help brighten someone else's day. Have a great day! Amy

The Blessing Tree

Every New Years Day we throw a huge Holiday Party inviting all of our closest friends and neighbors. The main reason we have done this is because we don't have any family that we celebrate the holidays with anymore, so our friends have become 'Our Family' and we enjoy celebrating the Holidays with them. In addition to good food, fellowship, watching the football games, and opening up gag gifts; this year we decided to have a 'Blessing Tree'. I read a story in 'Our Daily Bread Devotional' of a young couple who lost their business and their home. At Christmas-time they decided that instead of focusing on all that they have lost in the past year, they would focus on how they were blessed. So they covered a tiny little tree with one string of lights, and hand wrote blessings they have received from God and tied them to the tree. When their guests walked into their home, the couple, instead of being sad and depressed for all they have lost, beamed with pride and said 'Welcome to our Blessing Tree'.

That story touched my heart so much, I decided I wanted to do it at my own Holiday Party. So I got an end-of-season live little tree from Walmart for $5.00 and set it up in my entryway, where it would be the first thing my guests see when they arrived. I covered it with white lights and red ribbon and then I made a little sign using my cardstock, cuttlebug alphabet dies, and the retired Stampin Up! set 'Holiday Trim'. I punched out red hearts using red cardstock and attached them to the stamped tree. I then cut out about 40 hearts, (boy, was my hand hurting!), punched a hole in the top and tied on a ribbon. When each guest arrived at the party, they were asked to write their blessing on a heart and hang it on the tree.

After everyone had eaten and talked for awhile, we all gathered in the family room. I then started to share the story of the Blessing Tree and we all went around the room and shared our testimonies of how God blessed us in the year 2008. Even the little ones, as young as 4 participated, and I was amazed at how quiet they were and how they really listened to every one's stories. Some tears were shed, along with some laughter, and one common thing seemed to tie every one's blessings together. We discovered, that during these difficult economic and uncertain times, and even through some painful experiences we might have went through this past year, that we were all so THANKFUL for what we have.

Having a Blessing Tree at my party ended up being a wonderful blessing for all of us. Every one's hearts were touched, and many people said they wanted to do it again next year. So it has now become a new Holiday Tradition for the Johnson Family.

God Bless you all! Amy

Scripture Challenge #51 'Birth'

O.k., I know the last thing any of you want to see about this time of the year is ANOTHER CHRISTMAS CARD, but I can't help it. I'm several week's behind Patter Cross's Scripture Challenge Cards, so I'm playing catch-up. This week's Challenge Word was 'Birth' and was actually assigned to us the week of Christmas. Well, my card does not need much explanation. I celebrated the 'Birth of Jesus' on my card and the sentiment says it all! Jesus is the Reason for the Season.

The stamp set is Stampin Up! 'Holy Triptych'. The designer paper is also Stampin Up! and is called 'Holiday Treasures'. I colored the image with copic markers and added studs for embellishment. I used the color challenge and the sketch challenge from Paper Craft Planet to make this card.

I hope you all had a very Happy New Years. Amy