January - A Time to Celebrate and Remember...

Usually, when January rolls around each year, it marks the beginning of a new year and provides a sort of reset, if needed, to begin anew.  But this January was like no other and I am already in need of a reset.

Early in the month,  I celebrated the birthday of a special friend, and had fun making this card.

It is difficult to capture the foil, but what appears black is actually purple and silver foil! 

(The stripes are silver foil and the design in the background and front are purple foil).

All designs are Gina K Foil Mates

This captures the color of the foil a bit better.

Birthdays are wonderful reminders that not only is every year worth celebrating, but each and every day.  That awareness was stronger than ever last month.  Unfortunately, it was necessary to create two sympathy cards as well.  The first one went to a dear friend who lost her wonderful mother after months of illness .  It has been 16 years since I lost my Mother, and I still miss her.  Losing a parent is life changing.  It is part of the cycle, but knowing that does not make the loss easier or more profound.  I hope this card brought her some comfort.

This design was traced from a stencil and cut with the Silver Bullet Pro. 

I love the simplicity of it.

The second sympathy card (below) was the most difficult card I have ever made.  I was full of so many emotions - sadness, anger, disbelief .. and so much more.  I have talked before about my daughter in law's sister, Darcy, who was battling cancer.  In September, Darcy returned to work while still fighting this awful disease.  We were all so hopeful that progress was being made. Unfortunately, the progress was fleeting and the cancer was victorious in the end.  I ached for Scott and Megan and all of the family suffering this incredible loss.  Ours is not to question, but acceptance is certainly not easy.

Before Darcy passed, she asked Megan to tell her daughter, Riley, and her nephew, Carter (my grandson), to know that she was watching over them whenever they saw a ladybug.  So it was clear to me that my card for Megan and her family had to have a ladybug.  I am not an artist, but I can say that this little ladybug was made with love.

The little lady bug was made with Nuvo Drops and the

beautiful rose is a design from Dominic (Crafty  Vectors). 

The end of January marked a celebration of Darcy' life and a lasting reminder that each and every day of our lives is a precious gift, not to be wasted or taken for granted. Pin It Now!