An Angel's Smile

I am sorry for my blog absence.  I have been about as sick as I remember being in a long time - or maybe I should just say I've been sick LONGER than usual.  Monday was exhaustion, Tuesday was a painful cough in the chest, Wednesday was head and ear pressure and this morning I would prefer not to swallow.  This is so not normal for me - and I am not dealing with it well.  I'm laying on the sofa alternating between dozing and watching bad TV.  I'm usually a "do-er" - I am never not doing something - except for this week.  Even my craft corner seems like too much work.

However, I am still reading blogs and watching challenges and I had to pull myself together this morning because a couple of things came together perfectly.

I told you about an amazing family in this post.  (I guess I shouldn't be complaining about my problems.)  When the weekly digi from Designed2Delight came out last Thursday and was a sweet angel - and when today's Splitcoast Ways to Use It challenge was to include a smile - - - I absolutely HAD to make a card for the sweet little 7-year old in this family.  She is scheduled to have a second scan on her lungs in early April - the first scan showed spots.  Could this possibly be round 4 of her LCH?  (Or are we at round 5 already?  How can one family survive so much?)  But this family handles everything with such faith and with such grace - I knew this sweet angel would be the perfect touch! 

The image is called Angel Caroline and comes with this sweet image, plus an image with her eyes open - plus some accents like a little flower.  If you use her by midnight tonight, you get next week's free.  They have already shown it on one of their blogs - it's a cute little bug in a jar for a Get Well card!  I'll make that for myself!!

I did find a perfect sentiment for this card:

Don't tell God how big

your problems are,

tell your problems

how big God is.

It's from a clear set by TPC Studios - a brand carried by one of the big box craft stores and it reminds me that I have wanted to give a little speech about clear stamps.  If you don't like clear stamps, you probably haven't tried the right ones.  This brand is NOT the right one.  Cheap clear stamps are not firm.  If you apply any pressure to any part of the stamp it distorts and squishes and you get a very bad image.  If you absolutely MUST use cheap stamps - use a very, very light pressure - and I would definitely practice on scratch paper first.  I absolutely guarantee that quality clear stamps work and feel like rubber!!

• Stamps: Designed2Delight digi, TPC Studio Faith set (inside), Inkadinkado sentiment (outside)
• Ink: copics
• Paper: Heidi Grace dsp, Stampin' Up Pretty in Pink
• Accessories: Papertrey New Leaf mini dot ribbon, Stampin' Up Pretty in Pink gingham and grosgrain, misc heart gems, Smooch Pearlized Top coat on wings, etc., Nestabilities labels
• Challenges: Splitcoast Ways to Use It: Smile (see link above)