Coffee & Cards With Deb & Celeste 11/26

This time of year we reflect on what we are thankful for. Family and friends come to mind first. Then health is something we might take for granted until something happens. A roof over our heads, food to eat, a steady job. The list goes on. I am also thankful for all of the amazing people I have met through social media. Celeste and I met online through our love of cards. A group I have been involved with on Facebook is the Global Postcard Art Swap ( heART Exchange ). Three times a year ( Feb, June/July & Nov ), you can sign up to swap postcards with 3 people. You create these postcards with a theme that is chosen for each swap. The theme for this November's swap is appropriately  THANKFUL and that is also what we have made the theme of this blog post.The cards made by the participants in each Global Swap are fabulous - watercolored, mixed medium, paper pieced, rubber stamped etc... I am in awe of everyone's creativity...

• I stamped THANKFUL from the Prima "Autumn Moon" stamp set onto 3 pieces of fall-patterned scrap paper from my stash.  I then used scraps of autumn-themed papers to create my card bases. I covered some postcards that I had gotten free at a local store -- they were ads for the company and were sturdy for mailing, and I just adhered papers front and back to go with the theme of  THANKFUL.
• Bits and pieces of paper, doilies, dots and washi were placed on each card. I also punched out a few butterflies for the one postcard, stapled the middle, then folded them in half. I glued one side only to the postcard to make it look like they were flying !
• I used some lined paper on the front of the postcard and placed a piece of glitter washi down the middle to separate the address and note sides.The acorn stamp is also from the Prima "Autumn Moon" stamp set.
• I sent these to California, Maine and the United Kingdom in acetate envelopes to protect them from the perils of the USPS.
• Another card ( shown below ) was made for my swap partner in the Coffee Loving Papercrafters Group on Facebook. There is a swap each month we can sign up for and we are given the name of someone to send a Coffee, Tea or Cocoa card to. I used a limited edition Mommy Lhey stamp set and the same Prima "Thankful" stamp. 

I hope that my postcards and cards inspire you . Join a group and swap with some like-minded creative people.It is so much fun. Be sure to take a look at Celeste's November post at Crafting Junky. I just know that she has come up with a fabulous card celebrating being THANKFUL.. And Celeste's crafty friend Becky Ledbetter is joining us again with her blog post over at This Chick's Challenge.Becky says that her blog is her attempt to "challenge myself to do the things I love more often".. And that is something that will always make us thankful !!

For my coffee today, I am drinking Toffee Nut Starbucks coffee with Frosted Sugar Cookie Creamer in a fabulous Starbucks mug from a friend in Spain... Thank you to Natasha for adding another great cup to my collection... Let me also thank Louise Gale for being an amazing hostess of our Global Postcard Art Swaps / heART Exchange & Amy Tsuruta for hosting the  Coffee Loving Papercrafters  page. I know that so many of us are thankful that they have brought us together to share something we love !!

We hope that you will sign up to follow our blogs. I'm excited about next month already because Christmas themes are some of my favorites ! If you  would like to be our  guest sometime in 2018, please let one of us know and we'd be happy for you to join us and show off your talents.

Debra Davison / Meticulosity

St. Tropez Seas

I am a rubber stamper at heart - I rarely make a card without any stamping at all . I often buy paper and stamp sets from the same collection.  I did that with the Prima Amber Moon collection that I used in a prior blog post.  I bought some paper and the ephemera pack from the Prima St. Tropez collection, not really having any plans for what I was going to do with it. I actually think I ordered it to justify the cost of shipping and then just happened to fall in love with it !!

When I sat down to make cards with St. Tropez, I was planning on looking for some nautical stamps to use with it. But I started cutting and trying out layouts, and before I knew it, I had these beautiful cards !! For once, I didn't feel like adding more and more and more !! The colors and artwork are absolutely stunning. I have a friend, Paula who recently moved to her seaside dream spot and she will definitely be receiving one of these cards.. 

• These cards could not be any easier, or more stunning..
• Using Kraft cardstock for the bases, I cut several St. Tropez patterns for backgrounds. 
• Pictures and sentiments were cut from the St. Tropez collection and chosen from the Ephemera pack and adhered with Tombow MONO Aqua Adhesive Runner and foam tabs. 
• I used a few strips of thin glitter washi to finish off 2 of the cards. 

" Like the ocean, my love for you has no end "

Thank you for stopping by and seeing what I created today-- without any of my beloved stamps. A bit out of my comfort zone, but I might have to do this for some of the > 100 holiday cards I will be sending !! How many cards do you send ?? Leave me a comment and I might just send you some Christmas goodies to help with your holiday card list !!

Debra Davison / Meticulosity

Lovely seaside town of Dawlish