Friday, June 29, 2012

Bless Your Heart with scraps

I haven't done much cardmaking this week as my entire family has been volunteering at Vacation Bible School.  (I do have two posts ready to go for tomorrow about which I am VERY excited!)

Today, I decided that I was crafting NO MATTER WHAT!  I saw the Friday Free For All at Splitcoaststampers - "what a load of scraps"!  And I remembered a sketch that I had wanted to use from cardabilities - the challenge closed, but it's still a great sketch...


Bless Your Heart



I used scraps of Stampin' Up So Saffron, Pool Party, Tangerine Tango and Basic Gray.  The stamp is from Sweet 'n Sassy's Blessings and Thanks set and the heart is from their Heart Die set.

On an entirely different note...a Colorado fire update...(see my posts from the last few days for details)

The positive news is that the weather is cooperating and the town of Colorado Springs is not in any imminent danger.  However, there are small towns on the other side of this fire.  And you should also know that large forest fires like this can rage on for weeks/months.  So, if the weather changes...who knows what can happen?  (The biggest current fire in our state, at 90,000 acres, is not going to be officially out until it snows - and we've just started summer.)

On the negative side, 346 homes destroyed (on top of 200 destroyed in the other big fire), 1 death and 1 missing.  Here's one neighborhood. You probably have to click to make it big to see the true horror.  Those are piles of ashes that you are seeing...


Other bad news - two new fires.  One is on the western side of the state, near the town of Grand Junction.  There's a major oil field in its path.

Forest fires aren't uncommon in Colorado.  After all, fire is what nature does to renew a forest.  But typically we see fires in August, when we have had a whole summer to heat up and dry out.  Seeing all of this in June is deeply alarming.  

People's stories are heart-breaking.  They just interviewed one lady who, when evacuated, only took the ashes of her deceased daughter and son-in-law.  Her house has burned - and she is raising her five grandchildren.  How does a person continue to survive such tragedy?  Another elderly gentlemen was already sifting the ashes of his home (strange concept - there are actually sifting tools for this) and was happy to simply find the melted metal of his wedding ring.

In the midst of all of this - there are so many stories full of grace and giving...and I will be sharing some of these stories in the next week.


14 comments:

  1. Very pretty card! I love your use of scraps on this sketch.
    The fires are just devastating. After the extremely mild winter we had, it was expected...just not all the homes.

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  2. Kim I love your card! The CAS layout looks amazing with those pieces of pattern paper!

    I am in Fort Collins right now at my sisters house. There is no smoke right now. She said its been pretty bad. We are going to spend the day at the Butterfly Pavilion and go to a Rockies game so we will be closer to your neck of the woods!

    Praying for everyone in Colorado! Watching the news has just been heartbreaking! Stay safe!!

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  3. I love your card Kim. So CAS - love the combo of scraps and the heart is perfect. I have been reading your posts. I am on the east coast, and this kind of devastation rarely happens. I appreciate your stories and the photos. Praying hard. Wanted to tell you too that I needed a card for a special Eagle Scout, and I thought of the dove that you made for your Confirmandi. Tried it and it came out great. Thanks so much for the sharing that you do... hugs, Stephanie.

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  4. Love your card Kim. I can`t believe the devastation those poor people are going through but I know from experience that tragedy always brings out the best in people. Keeping you all in my thoughts.
    Lynne xxx

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  5. Superb card Kim
    Heartbreaking new and stories

    Keep safe

    mandi

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  6. Fabulous card Kim and great use of scraps for that sketch.

    I grew up in northern California and understand about fires. We lost half our home when I was a teen to a grass fire that touched off the pine tress that grew all around our home. Pine trees go up as if someone tossed gas on them; even small sparks can make a pine tree go up like a roman candle. :( I'll pray for the people of Colorado and hope the fires stop soon.

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  7. So much tragedy. Thank you for the detailed updates. Colorado is in our prayers.

    Love your card, too.

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  8. Thanks for the fire updates. I can't imagine losing everything overnight. My heart goes out to those people, and my prayers go up for their recovery. We live next to a state forest here where campers come all year round and use wood stoves and campfires. I often think it could happen here someday, although on a much smaller scale, and our house would be one of the first to go. I pray also that the fires don't reach Parker.

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  9. Love this! What a great way to use up scraps. I am the queen of scraps. No piece of paper is too small to keep. You just never know when you will need that one little piece. I'll be using this sketch for sure. Thanks for all the fire updates. Praying for all those affected.

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  10. Kim I just love your last two CAS cards. And after seeing your posts w/photographs I understand even better your comment on my blog. I have seen some of these photo's from our friends who live near the fires. It made me so sad to hear about the lady who lost both her daughter and son-in-law. Kim, all I know to say is that faith keeps us moving forward. Certainly we pause in our pain before healing begins, but, we can be assured His grace is sufficient. It's what keeps us going.

    Loved the hexagon stamp set and the new embossing folder - Loved em'!! I am off to look at the rest of DT's offerings. Just a great overall card Kim.

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  11. What a lovely card, Kim. That photo is amazing! Such a sad situation for all those who have lost everything! You have such a caring heart, Kim! Hugs xxx

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  12. Lovely card Kim. The fires are devastating,hope you and your family stay safe. Thinking of everyone out there now and hoping the fires stop very soon :( Viv xx

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  13. This is a lovely way to use scraps, Kim, and I'm always on the lookout for ways to use them. They seem to grow!

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  14. Tears came to my eyes, when I enlarged the photo.
    I can almost feel the pain it brings to many people.
    Hope this nightmare will be in control soon.
    Love Gery

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