Thank you cards and amazing news!

Good morning! Yesterday I did something that I never imagined doing when I began cardmaking about 6 years ago. Many of you know the story behind my blog name, but if you don't, you can click HERE to read more. Long story short, I sell my cards by donation and all the proceeds go toward building houses for widows and their children in Burundi, Africa. I honestly have lost track of exactly how many houses I have been able to build this way, but I know that it is at least 8, possibly more (only because there is a delay on when the money is sent in and the house is actually built - depending on weather and the rainy season) Yesterday I sent in money for TWO more houses! I thought I had enough for THREE - but the price has gone up from $600 to $650, so I'm a little short, but expecting a few checks in the mail in the next week or two that will probably provide for that last missing portion as well.

You guys - I am SPEECHLESS! When I started making cards I had NO idea that I would ever be to a place of sending in money for more than one house in a year - let alone nearly THREE! And I am HUMBLED by the fact that God can use this little hobby that I love to make a difference for someone else. It is at the same time a little thing, and also a HUGE thing! Absolute proof for me that God can use anything we have if we will just give it to him, and do it for His glory.

I won't say that I don't struggle...my perfectionism, my pride, my struggle to balance my time - all of these are things I still have to walk through. But I get to play with paper and beautiful things every day - and all those little things are adding up to something much bigger.

Anyway - it seemed like a good time to share these as well! I recently had a special request for a bunch of thank you cards - so I pulled out my scrap papers and a layout I've used before to quickly put together 40 of these in a couple hours! Here is the entire pile of them all stacked together:



I use a lot of 6x6 paper pads - and when you trim off for a card front, you are left with a strip that is about 1 3/4" to 2" wide, usually anyway. I don't keep all of them, but the ones I really love I usually do! This is a perfect and simple way to use them up!

I added a strip of black cardstock under the pattern paper - just to help it pop a bit, and used my MISTI to stamp my sentiment with perfect placement - and quickly as well! 

And I snapped quick photos of them in piles of 3 or 4 - just so you can see how well the variety of pattern paper works to make them all unique, and yet simple and easy to put together as well. Here are all those photos:

I used to really not enjoy making sets of cards - but I've found if I keep them simple like this, it is easy to fall into a rhythm, and kind of relaxing as well! These came together quite quickly, and was a pleasant way to spend a couple hours at my craft desk as well.

Thanks for stopping by today! Here are links to my supplies for these cards - minus the pattern paper, since it came from an entire ARRAY of different paper pads! Most of them are either Crate Paper, American Crafts, MME, or Glitz Designs though - just to narrow them down.

Thanks for listening to me ramble - and I hope you have a wonderful day!!!

Wplus9 HAND LETTERED THANKS Clear Stamps CL-WP9HLT *Neenah Classic Crest **110 LB** SMOOTH SOLAR WHITE Paper Pack 25 Sheets Simon Says Stamp Card Stock 100# BLACK Black8 Tsukineko VersaFine ONYX BLACK Ink Pad VF-82 MISTI PRECISION STAMPER Stamping Tool Whole Kit and Kaboodle

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