A Farewell Hop

This is a bittersweet hop as the TCM team says goodbye to The Craft's Meow. It's bitter for me because it's always hard to say goodbye to something that has been a big part of my crafting life the last two years. I will miss the regular interaction with the team and the excitement of seeing the new stamp designs coming up. It has been a privilege to see the DT's beautiful handiwork applied to my designs. I'm truly thankful for each of them.

This is also a sweet moment not just for me, but also for Lisa, the owner of TCM. Lisa is about to embark on a new chapter of her professional life that necessitates the change. And I support her wholeheartedly as she faithfully obeys God's direction.

For me, TCM's closing comes at an opportune time. God's timing is always perfect. My family and ministry life is taking up more time than ever and I welcome the change. (I'm not going away completely though, since I still do product design for other companies.) And I couldn't be happier for Lisa as she pursues what she believes God is leading her to. It is an exciting place to be! Not because of the unknown, but because we get to practice our trust in Him. We get to put into action our faith in a benevolent God who sees the bigger picture of our lives.

Now, onto today's projects. I have 2 cards that show how I feel today. The first card is for all the TCM fans out there who have joined us in this journey. Thank you for your support and sharing the joys of new stamps and using them to brighten somebody's day. I used the Chalkboard Birthday stamp set. The papers and lace stickers are by Hot Off the Press and bling by Want2Scrap.

My second card is for all those affected by TCM's closing more directly: Lisa, the illustrators, designers and others. What a fitting word of encouragement as we look ahead to the future, knowing that God is there all the way and His promises are ever true. I used Chalkboard Faith for the main sentiment.

Saying goodbye to TCM is bittersweet indeed, but I think the sweet could prove to be more important, and definitely longer lasting, than the bitter part because God is in it and He never, ever disappoints. 

If you came from the talented Lindsay Amrhein's blog, then you're at the right place. TCM is closing its doors at the end of December. All stamp sets have been marked down by as much as 75%! Stock is limited... once it's gone, it's gone for good, so please shop early for the best selection. All orders of $25 or more will receive a free gift with purchase. Flat rate shipping is $3.00 for all US orders and $12 for all International orders. Please see the store blog for details, or click over to The Craft's Meow store to start shopping!And from here, you need to stop by sweet Larissa Heskett's blog.

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Things that Made Me Smile

I have some happy lovelies to share with you today. SCS has the Hope You Can Cling To going on now and one of the challenges is to create something that makes you smile. The Craft's Meow is one of the prize sponsors.

My first is a card that uses some October Afternoon papers that evoke happainess and joy. I love this bike sticker. The sentiment is Chalkboard Birthday. I added the Twinery twine for streamers.

I'm entering this to the Moxie FabWorld's Ready Made Embellishments Challenge and Twinery In The Round Challenge:

And since we're on the subject, here are a few other things that made me smile lately. These were posted on my friends' Facebook pages. I hope they will bring a smile to your face today, too.

 A friend's son's handiwork :).

 And I can totally relate to this one :).

Here's a lovely song that I think is so sweet. It's sung by a talented young husband and wife duo:

Finally, another thing that makes me smile are sales and specials from my favorite scrapbooking companies. Here are a few:

Want2Scrap Free Shipping Promo!- valid from Oct 11-13, 2013

Scrapbook STEALS always have something I want at a huge discount.

Two Peas in a Bucket - valid until Oct 14, 2013
Check out their SALE items, too!

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Little Joys Chalkboard Card

I have a card for you today using my new Chalkboard Birthday stamp set, this month's Free with $50 purchase over at The Craft's Meow. I heat embossed the sentiment with white on black for the chalkboard look.

The papers are October Afternoon's 9 to 5. Some pearls colored with black Copics and a strip of silver bling, both by Want2Scrap, along with seam binding, buttons and twine, adorn the card.

This is the stamp set I used, Chalkboard Birthday:

Have a great one, friends!

Glamorous Happy Birthday

I hope you all had a great weekend, friends! We had a 4-day one and took a quick trip to Budapest, Hungary. One of the perks of living in Croatia is we're close to many European sites. We took advantage of the weekend and had a much needed break before a crazy summer.

I have a card for you today that uses TCM's Let's Face It and Chalkboard Birthday stamp sets. With this set, you can do 2-step stamping. First stamp the outline image of the pretty lady, then stamp the shawl and hair. I had to add these retro glasses to make the lady more glamorous :).

The papers are October Afternoon. I added a couple of white SRM Stitches Stickers on the background. I used some scrap ribbons and lace on the background.

Here are a few photos from Budapest. It's a beautiful town!

 At night..

And this is the real reason we love Budapest. It's where the closest TGIF is! :) I initially thought, what bad timing to have gallbladder issues when we get to eat at this restaurant (which is real treat and only happens once every few years). But they had delicious salmon that was worth the wait!

Have a great week!