Friday, February 15, 2019

The Caregiver

I have had a lot of people do really nice things for me in the last couple of months. Daily texts, flowers, cards, gifts. That caregiver personality is such a treasure. I hope you have some caregivers in your life.

These people all know how to give care without taking anything from you at the same time. Until something bad happens to you, you don't realize how exhausting just answering a question can be. Or the same question many times to different people.

If I could give you one piece of advice on how to best do something for someone who has experienced an illness or loss - it would be this: give what you have to give without expecting a response, and without asking questions about what's happening. The tiny amount of battery that person has left needs to be spent on just living. But send that card, or text or gift. It makes a huge difference, even if you just hear silence. DO IT. I have one sweet friend who just send me emojis every day and it makes my day.

One friend sent three AMAZING things right when I needed them. I did something awful to my back, and all I have are these completely ghetto 1970's plastic heating pads that wad up into a ball and overheat. I wasn't aware that this technology had advanced until I opened a box and found this LUXURIOUS, soft HUGE heating pad with auto-off and a fuzzy cover. I'm going to have to fight Maddie for it, but when we sit down to watch TV every night, I sit with it on my back and it's amazing. Everyone should have one.

The same day she sent me this massager - I call it my robot therapist - because it's exactly like getting a massage. It has little sleeves you put your arms through so you can position it wherever you need it on your back and still work or use your hands. It's incredible. She didn't even have one herself and put it in a white elephant exchange at a retreat we were attending, and everyone went nuts over it, so she got one and then sent me one. That's the kind of girl she is.

Finally, she knows my complete devotion to fizzy water - I can't drink plain water - it literally makes me gag. But I love fizzy water, so this water she sent me is like LaCroix 2.0. I love it. Surprisingly, the lemon is my favorite - I don't like ANY lemon fizzy water because it all tastes fake. Since this one just has a squeeze of real lemon in it it's perfect! Thank you Kathy! <3

Amazon is such an easy way to send comforts to people - so don't forget to use the gift option to lift someone's spirits.

So speaking of lifting spirits, mail cards! Just a hello is nice. Writing a short note is better. Writing a letter is best of all.

So in that spirit of sending uplifting mail, I have one of my spot style coloring cards for you today. I stamped this fun mail background in Intense black, and used just three markers to spot color the background - there is a Copic that is very close to manila envelope color! I used Y19, R29 and B04 and intentionally left white space. These new large sentiment dies are amazing. I got the hello and the thanks in December, and I can't tell you how many times I've used them. There's also a happy, and a birthday die. They're all about the same sized - card front size. All the products I've used are below my cards. I cut the hello twice from white and black and layered them with my favorite die adhesive.

This stamp was part of Hero's new Spring catalog release at Creativation, and you should have SEEN the samples in the booth - they were amazing. If you got your hands on their catalog, all the cards I'm showing you today are in there, and that is a huge honor. Did you know that Hero Arts will turn 45 this year? Stay tuned for some fun events around that important birthday. The reason there is a 45 year old company in our industry is that it is run by kind, honest and creative people who care about humanity in general, and particularly all of us in the creative community. It's a testament to who they are that they've thrived through the last 45 years of a constantly changing landscape around papercrafting. If you want to send them a birthday card, you can do so here:

Aaron Leventhal
Hero Arts
1200 Harbour Way South, Ste 201 
Richmond, CA 94804 

One of the style lines I love the most (you know this if you're a reader of my blog) at Hero Arts is the sort of wistful, children's book looking sets, like this moon one. This card used a lot of masking, so prepare for instructions. I did the following to make this card: I stamped the ladder FIRST and masked the whole ladder with masking paper. Then, I stamped the color layering moon in Soft Vanilla, Soft Granite and Charcoal ink on top of the ladder Then I used one of the larger of the Oval Infinity dies to cut myself an earth, and I placed that mask on TOP of the masked ladder. Then I stamped the moon again on masking paper, cut it out and placed that mask on top of the moon. You with me? The moon, ladder and earth are now masked. Then I took my Life Changing Blender brushes and brushed both Cornflower and Soft Granite ink all over the card panel for my sky. I then removed all three masks, and used the negative piece of masking paper from where I cut the oval for the earth. I placed that negative around the white space of my earth to protect the sky, and I used the blender brush again to brush Moss ink onto the earth. Then I removed that mask, colored the ladder with Copics and added white gel pen stars and highlights. The sentiment is from the same set. This set does come with matching dies - and the ladder die cut is adorable!
 While we are color layering, let's layer a Calla Lily! This is one of my favorite flowers in real life and in stamp images. I used Soft Vanilla, Butter Bar and Pumpkin Pie ink for stamping the layers, and then I used my Polychromos Pencils to do soft shading on the stem and the flower. I chose matching cardstock - they have NEW cardstock and its gorgeous - and cut a little slot out of the card panel to let a pop of yellow show through. The sentiment - LOVE the font - is from the same set.
Then since those were all neat and tidy - I went for some mixed media goodness. I created a Wrinkle Free Distress Oxide background (tutorial here), and then stamped this stunning background on top of that in Soft Granite - it's meant to be waves, but I thought it looked like both air currents, and as if the balloon were flying over cultivated fields. So make it whatever you want :).

I stamped the hot air balloon also in Soft Granite, I used my white gel pen to fill in the flowers and cover up my background, and then I used these amazing tools to apply a dot of gold glimmer ink to the center of each flower. The tools both hold the ink and release it perfectly and clean up easily. The sentiment is stamped and embossed on black cardstock. This set does come with matching dies.
Fun, right? At the end of this post, I'll tell you how you can win one of four $50 gift certificates to the Hero Store.

2019 Spring Catalog - Hero Arts
[ HA ]
Mail Jumble Background Cling
[ HA ]
Color Layering Calla Lily
[ HA ]
Ocean Waves Bold Prints
[ HA ]
Color Layering Sleepy Moon
[ HA ]
Color Layering Sleepy Moon Frame Cuts
[ HA ]
Hot Air Blooms
[ HA ]
Hot Air Blooms Frame Cuts
[ HA ]
Hello Message Fancy Die
[ HA ]
Thanks Message Fancy Die
[ HA ]
Birthday Message Fancy Die
[ HA ]
Happy Message Fancy Die
[ HA ]
Hero Arts Oval Infinity Dies
[ HA ]
Faber-Castell Polychromos Pencils and...
[ BLIC | AMZUS | SSS ]
Hero Arts Intense Black Ink
[ HA ]
Pumpkin Pie Mid-Tone Shadow Ink
[ HA ]
Moss Bold Ink
[ HA ]
Soft Granite Shadow Ink - Hero Arts
[ HA ]
Cornflower Mid-Tone Shadow Ink | Hero...
[ HA ]
Hero Arts Butter Bar Shadow Ink
[ HA ]
Soft Vanilla vShadowSoft Vanilla...
[ HA ]
AF236 Charcoal Mid-Tone Shadow Ink
[ HA ]
Heavy Base Weight Card Stock- White
[ GNK ]
Avery 6465 Removable Multipurpose...
[ AMZUS ]
Grafix Artist-tac
[ BLIC ]
Life Changing Blender Brush 2-Pack -...
[ PFS ]
Sakura CLASSIC WHITE Fine Line 05...
[ SSS ]
Colour Shapers Tools - BLICK art...
[ BLIC ]
GM100 Gold & Pewter Glimmer Metallic...
[ HA ]
MISTI Stamping Tool
[ MSW | HA | SSS | ELH | MFT | UNT ]
Rotatrim Professional Series Cutter -...
[ BLIC ]
LightView 2in1 LED Magnifier for...
[ BRG ]
Mudder 10 Pack White Buffer Sanding...
[ AMZUS ]
Xyron ADHESIVE ERASER 23675
[ SSS | ART | AMZUS ]
Teflon Bone Folder - Ellen Hutson LLC
[ ELH | SSS ]
Ink Off Cloth
[ INK ]
Essentials by Ellen Storage...
[ ELH ]
Die Storage - Clear Storage Pockets...
[ CHC ]
XL Stamp Storage Pockets
[ ELH ]
Cut Align
[ MSW ]
Lawn Fawn STAMP SHAMMY Cleaner LF1045
[ SSS | CST ]
Coloring Glove - Anti-Smudge
[ AMZUS ]
Derwent Battery-Operated Eraser
[ BLIC | AMZUS ]
Ipoint Orbit Pencil Sharpener, Turquoise
[ AMZUS | BLIC ]
Global Art Classic Leather Pencil Cases
[ BLIC | AMZUS ]
Staedtler Mars Plastic Erasers
[ BLIC | JGG | AMZUS ]
Sizzix BIG SHOT EXPRESS Gray and...
[ SSS | ELH | BMS ]
Paper - Hero Arts
[ HA ]

You can hit up Maria's blog for more Spring Catalog inspiration, and all you have to do to be put in the drawing for the shopping sprees is leaving me a comment telling me what your favorite spring stamp images are - the ones you reach for the most!

Loveyameanitbye.



125 comments:

  1. OH WOW! These are all just beautiful! Thanks for inspiration!

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  2. Flowers, of course! Now to go click on all of your product links...you're so tricky like that.

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  3. Fabulous cards!! Each one is awesome! I love the moon one so much! :)

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  4. And - I hope your back feels better! I feel your pain! But - I've never had to share a heating pad with my pet! LOL!

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  5. All amazing creations, Lydia. Such beautiful stamps and you have showcased them so beautifully!

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  6. What timing, I just sent you a postcard the other day! I can't wait to get some of the new HA cardstock, and of course I LOVE the Mail Jumble background stamp!! Fantastic cards!

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  7. WOW, wonderful cards. I love the ladder climbing to the moon.

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  8. awesome cards - so beautiful - I always reach for my daffodils:)

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  9. I love to stamp w/flowers and butterflies, so those are my go-tos for spring. Your cards are beautiful. Hope your back gets better each day!

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  10. Beautiful cards! Also, I fight my animals for heating pads all the time... they actually have their own now, but Mom's is always better. :)

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  11. They are all lovely but I really love that moon and the calla lily. Those are just gorgeous. TFS!

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  12. Such a great assortment of cards, and each one is special in it's own way. Thank you so much for sharing!

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  13. These are all so beautiful! I hope you are feeling better. I may have to pick up some of your recommendations.

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  14. Wonderful cards - tried to pick a favourite and failed! Love the moon one, so perfect for my grandson.
    Feel better!

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  15. Dear Lydia the cards are all wow but my personal preferable is the card with the sentiment Let your dreams soar. Thank you for giving me wings to achieve my dream as a crafter. I am collecting money to buy sm lovely dies for my collection. May all of you be blessed with gd health and happiness. Love and hugs from Sri Lanka.

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  16. I don't have a favorite. Just a little of everything. Beautiful cards! I love the daisy hot air balloon. Martha

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  17. Such beautiful cards, as always! For spring, I think I tend to reach for floral stamps; those, or baby animals. New beginnings, you know? :)

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  18. You went above and beyond! Thanks for so many great card examples. I am loving the new release!

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  19. I've been waiting for the letter background. You did such a great join with all of these.

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  20. So many gorgeous cards. Nice nice nice. I'm sorry that your back is not well. I have had a bad back since birth almost, so I totally empathize with you. I hope that it gets better. And I LOVED reading what you had to say about caregiving....

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  21. OMG!!! Beautiful cards..each one is so different and unique...love it..

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  22. Wow! Four cards. These are beautiful. Thank you for the opportunity.
    Karen Berry

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  23. These are ALL AMAZING! But I love that night sky you did! BEAUTIFUL!

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  24. Oh what fabulous cards! Each such a different style but all equally wonderful. Take care of your back, so awful to go through back pain. I'm so glad your support network has been taking such good care of you :)

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  25. I really love your ladder going up to the moon!! And your use of the wave background with the floral hot air balloon!! Dreamy!! Gotta have them all!! (and that massager, too!)

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  26. My favorite spring stamps are big flowers and butterflies.

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  27. I don't really have a fave spring stamp. But I can tell you that I love that background stamp you used with the flowered balloon!

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  28. Love all your inspiration.... flowers are my favorite spring images, especially larger florals that can be colored and make a statement. Hope you feel better - back issues are no fun.

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  29. Gorgeous! Your cards are like artwork that I would frame!!!

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  30. Such amazing designs! Love Hero Arts, thanks for the inspiration.

    Carol B

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  31. These are some very interesting cards.....I like the hot air balloon made of flowers. And the ladder to the moon really made me giggle.

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  32. Great cards. Love the lily and reach for the moon cards.

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  33. All your cards are so pretty Lydia, but I especially love your multi media card, with the hot air balloon with all those sweet flowers, and the gorgeous background!

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  34. I love that card with all the envelopes. I am glad for you that you have so much support.
    I wish everyone did. It sounds like you are starting to feel better. I sure hope so. I have had a lot of sporadic low back pain. You can get a large stretchy brace ( from places like Home Depot ). they sell them to like men who are movers and pick up heavy furniture. I will put one on before I do something that I think could hurt my back and it does seem to protect me from further injury, even if it’s just doing the dishes. I hope you try that it really does help doctors offices provide them to but they charge like 100 bucks instead of 25. I recommend black that’s just way too much wnite. J. Sirak LDYJS@outlook.com

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  35. It is a blessing to have such kind care givers in your life. I agree with you, one should give without expecting any retribution verbal or material, especially when someone is experiencing illness or loss. Love all your cards Lydia. Love the new background prints and the new message dies. Thanks for the inspiration, hope you fell better soon! Have a wonderful weekend!

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  36. Such beautiful cards! Loving these stamps!

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  37. Great new products! I love your creations, especially the Cala Lily card!

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  38. Sorry about your back pain! No fun. I love your cards though. Thanks for the inspiration. :D

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  39. I'm "over the moon" with this new release. Love all the cards, thanks for sharing! Get better soon, ice helps too!

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  40. Hero Arts is one of my favorite companies, and this release is wonderful. Love your all your beautiful cards, especially the Reach for the Moon! My favorite from this release is the New Day Butterflies.

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  41. What great cards! And new HA release! I guess I go for nature most - you know - butterflies, flowers, birds, trees. etc.

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  42. Beautiful cards! I can't believe how much masking, ink blending and layered stamping went into the moon card. Amazing! As for Spring stamps, I reach for flowers the most. I can't get enough of them after a long, cold Winter.

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  43. Great cards Lydia with wonderful colour and design! I do hope you're feeling better soon! Thanks so much for sharing and your wonderful inspirations!

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  44. I love all of your cards, they are all awesome!! The one with the moon is fabulous!! I love the mail background too!! But of course, I am a retired Postal Worker!! I would use this one often. I love to decorate my envelopes too. It greets the recipient with a little love. I hope your back gets better. I feel your pain. I fell down my stairs yesterday and feel like I've been hit by a truck. Nothing broke, just sore. How stupid am I???

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  45. Your style is beautiful. Really liking the envelope background stamp, so many different ways to use it. Thanks for sharing. Hope your feeling better.

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  46. Your cards are beautiful. I reach for Easter stamps when I start thinking of Spring.

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  47. Lovely cards, really love the moon one in particular!

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  48. Enjoyed all three of your cards. The coloring is so pretty and I really like the flower balloon one!

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  49. Hoping you're feeling a bit better each day. Spring images...that's easy flowers and butterflies! Love Hero Arts too

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  50. That ladder is colored to look so real! Love it and healthy wishes coming your way

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  51. These are gorgeous cards. More stamp sets to put on my wish list!

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  52. Oh how different they all are and great inspiration, thanks

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  53. Wow, from the envelopes to the amazing backgrounds. Beautiful work!

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  54. Wow!! These are all beautiful! I intend to get that sleepy moon set!! Funny side note...my husband and I have both had neck/shoulder issues in the past & just went through a bout with them. I clicked on your massager link and ordered that bad boy immediately!

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  55. Lovely cards! I have a young friend waiting for a new heart and it is tiring to answer the same questions daily. Your advice on this subject makes great sense. Thanks for sharing. A nice card saying "Hi...thinking of you", or "sending prayers" would lift the spirit greatly. Hero Arts has some terrific new stamps that would fit the bill perfectly!

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  56. I hope you are feeling better and each day is getting easier. Us females are better at being the caregiver than receiving care ourselves. From this Dr. Perspective.... I loved what you did with the Cally Lily - so gently but beautiful. Thank you and please take care of you too!!!

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  57. Beautiful assortment of cards and techniques - thanks for sharing.

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  58. That Lily is beautiful. I've already decided I need that stamp. I love it. Beautiful cards.

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  59. Such awesome cards Lydia, I love then all and can't say which one I love most.
    Your cards so the versatility of this new release. Thank you for sharing your cards they are an inspiration and have a great weekend.

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  60. Amazing cards. The lily card is wonderful in it's simplicity.

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  61. Love the colors in the moon card, stunning!! And the sympathy card is beautiful!!

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  62. Petty cards. Love the moon card.

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  63. What amazing cards. Love the moon especially, but that hello card with all the envelopes in the background is also amazing. Very retro looking. Thanks for the ideas!

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  64. Awesome!! I love how you did that last one, so clever!

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  65. All the cards are amazing. Love the flower covered balloon card

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  66. Awesome cards, very pretty—thanks for sharing!!!

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  67. Lydia,I had no idea you hurt your back! I'm glad you have such wonderful people who did! I reach for my tulip stamps for spring as we don't have cedar pollen season here. (We do get a lot of oak pollen, 😁.)

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  68. Great cards today sweetie. It was very special to read your post today. I too have needed people to help me through some pretty bad experiences....I can never thank them enough for just being there. Life is not easy at times. But, there is a rainbow....I always keep my eyes open and appreciate ever day .....this blog hop had been a great one....so may talented designers and artists....sharing what they love with people who love to learn.....thanks so much...hugs!

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  69. I also battle with back issues. So sorry to hear about your injury, Lydia. As always, your cards are beautiful. Thanks for the inspiration! And "WOW" 45 years for Hero Arts... Who knew?! Hope they celebrate big!

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  70. Thanks for sharing these and for the inspiration. Feel lots better soon and you're right Hero Arts is an amazing company. Wow! 45 years and going strong!

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  71. I love how you colored the background of the envelope stamp instead of the stamps themselves. Great idea!

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  72. Such lovely cards! I don't have them yet, but I think my favorite Spring stamps will be this Calla Lily and the Hot Air Balloons. The first is so artistic and soothing while the second is just fun! Hope you feel better with each passing day.

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  73. Wonderful assortment of cards! The mail jumble is a favorite. I always reach for flower stammps in the spring.

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  74. Thank you for the insight. Thank you for all you do for the paper art community too!

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  75. First, I am so sorry to hear that you injured your back. I hope you are mending well. I am glad that you have supportive friends to help you along. Your cards are wonderful as always! In the Spring, I always think of flowers and critters first. Be well!

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  76. Gorgeous cards! Your moon card is magical, and I love that beautiful calla lily design!
    For spring, I reach for my floral stamps!

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  77. The Blooms Balloon's background is so amazing! I can see so many lovely colors woven together!

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  78. Beautiful post Lydia!!! <3As always your cards and your colouring are pretty amazing!!!

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  79. Lydia, you do beautiful work and I love the hello card. The background of envy's is so cute. Hero Arts rocks! Thanks for a look at the inside of reaching out to those that are struggling. Glad for your sweet friend who has learned that gift well.

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  80. Hope you are feeling better. You are so lucky to have such great friends, a true blessing in life! Your cards are lovely. The Calla Lily is so pretty.

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  81. Lovely moon card. Unfortunately the die part is already sold out at sss.

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  82. These cards are beautiful. The first one is my favourite, with 2 of my favourite items (the mail jumble stamp and the hello die) of the release.
    I like poppies-stamps, they give a spring/summer feeling; I should use them more often.
    Take good care, thank you for the very useful advise to tell/show someone you care, without "asking back".
    Warm greetings from Belgium.

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  83. Love the ladder to the moon.
    thanks for sharing your thoughts.
    It's good to be reminded that you
    aren't the only one who is having
    problems and needs a friend.
    best wishes for health and happiness
    txmlhl(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  84. What a beautifully designed collection of cards in this post. Your words are always beautiful and wise, and today you said it so well when you wrote about caregiving. You are blessed to have wonderful caregivers in your life.

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  85. Beautiful cards! I especially like the floral hot air balloon!

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  86. Beautiful cards. I love them all! Thanks so much for sharing them with us.

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  87. Beautiful, fabulous cards, Lydia! Back issues are the worst. Hope you're feeling better soon.

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  88. That lily is just perfection, and your other cards are a fab showcase of these new products.

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  89. Fabulous cards! The sympathy card is gorgeous!

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  90. Wonderful cards. My favorite is the calla lily -- gorgeous.

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  91. Love all of your cards! The background with all the envelopes is so cute, and the calla lily is beautiful! So many great new goodies! Thanks for the inspiration!

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  92. My favorite spring stamp images are Butterflies and Ladybugs. I just adore them both and they seem to add the perfect final touch to so many types of cards. Thank you for all the life lessons and creative lessons you give us always, endless inspiration :)
    (mardy14@bellsouth.net)

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  93. Lovely cards and lovely comments about hero arts!!!

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  94. Fantastic cards. I really love that last one, I love the background design and colors!

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  95. Love your cards, especially the moon one and the one with the manila envelopes... That one speaks to the office supply nerd in me lol!! Hope you feel better soon <3

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  96. Wow, so many great projects! I can't pick a favorite, although I'm partial to that amazing moon. Beautiful!

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  97. Your cards look great! I really like the simple beauty and elegance of your sympathy card.

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  98. Great work. Love them all. I really like the mail and the moon!

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  99. Such beautiful cards!
    Thanks for sharing...

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  100. wonderful variety of cards. I really like the ladder to the moon.

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  101. Fun assortment today! My favorite right now is anything with sunshine, sun rays, sun rise, sun set...
    We got 16" of snow today and it's still snowing. Gimme some sun...

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  102. I love your art. The balloon in the DOxide background is wonderful. Thanks

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  103. Love your kind, sweet post! So many card makers have that unique quality which is one of the reasons I love it so! You are a blessing to others, so it’s no surprise that you are blessed with special friends in turn! That background in the last card you created is genius!,!

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  104. I loved reading your post today! It puts a huge smile on my face. Now—the cards are stunning. Love them but my favorite is the lily. Stunning!

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  105. Okay, it's my second comment on this post, but I had to thank you for sharing the info on the sparkling water. I'm not a fan of water either, and I've sworn off sodas, both sugary and diet, so sparkling water is my thing. You led me to the best sparkling water ever. Love that it has nothing in it but a squeeze of juice. Yay!

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