Take that you nasty virus!!

[k dunbrook]

Hello mf's.
This nasty virus is everywhere and it's really feeling like a downer to so many.
I am trying to embrace this time off to create. I am so inspired by this site and all the wonderful crafters that are here and for that, I want to say a huge thanks. Thanks for the difference you make in my life!!

The challenges are wonderful....find some time to play along. It is uplifting.
I think as cardmakers, we can make such a difference for others. I've been making cards and sending them out this week hoping to send a bit of sunshine to my friends and family. NOT only is it good for my sanity to be creating, I think it's a great way to spread some goodness.

So, who's with me? Let's get the good to overtake the bad right now!
Let's start a movement. Be there for each other I say.

[Cook22]

I'm still working so I can't join you yet...but enjoy your extra stamping time, Karen. I'm sure others will enjoy receiving your beautiful cards. We all need all the goodness and positivity we can get right now.

[robbinbobbin]

Beautiful card! So cheerful.

Robin

[allee's]

I'm with you, Karen. I stocked up on stamps last week and hope to send out the first wave of cards tomorrow!

[cheermom]

Playing with my new Concord & 9th stamps and I have sent out 10 cards last week and this week to friends.

[k dunbrook]

Quote:

Originally Posted by allee's

I'm with you, Karen. I stocked up on stamps last week and hope to send out the first wave of cards tomorrow!

that's awesome Lynn....I did too!

[k dunbrook]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cheermom

Playing with my new Concord & 9th stamps and I have sent out 10 cards last week and this week to friends.

That's great Sherri

[squirrellyshirley]

I want to stamp .... and it’s been a wish not to have to take the kids 100 places ....... but then overwhelming sadness overcomes my creativity and I just sit and stare at the paper.

I feel like everything seems so unimportant in comparison to what some of the cities are enduring.

I’m a nurse. And I wish I could help my fellow nurse warriors.

Maybe I Can send a card to a nurses station..... just say THANK YOU!!

[jeaniebean55]

I'm like you, Shirley, having a hard time trying to play with ink and paper when it seems frivolous right now. With all the folk in isolation in nursing homes, I'm trying to create cheerful colorful cards to send their way..

[lesliespringer]

My Muse has left me. She is somewhere on a beach with an umbrella drink.
Planes and wing flying have been grounded.

I just look at my new Ikea desk and all my uninked Unity stamps and just
sigh

[k dunbrook]

Quote:

Originally Posted by squirrellyshirley

I want to stamp .... and it’s been a wish not to have to take the kids 100 places ....... but then overwhelming sadness overcomes my creativity and I just sit and stare at the paper.

I feel like everything seems so unimportant in comparison to what some of the cities are enduring.

I’m a nurse. And I wish I could help my fellow nurse warriors.

Maybe I Can send a card to a nurses station..... just say THANK YOU!!

I'm so sorry you are having a hard time. A big thanks to you and all you do as a nurse. It is such a frightening time.

[allee's]

Ten of these went in yesterday's mail. The sentiment is a new digi from Unity. The images are Stampin' Up.

[Covington Crafter]

I have a stack of cards to go out today. I had been struggling with complete creative shutdown too. So, I went on an organizing binge in my craftroom. Keeping busy is a good distraction right now. As I was indexing sentiment stamps, I discovered the perfect stamp for a card front laying on my very-messy desk. So I stamped it, then I started adding doo-dads to dress it up. The next thing I knew, I'd completed a card and had thoughts to create another one. My craftroom is still a mess, but I've got a bit of mojo going now!


Thanks for the encouragement to encourage others, Karen!!

[Mrs Noofy]

Great idea Karen. We live about 15 minutes from Bobcaygeon (the hot spot in this area) so I am spending all day hunkered down in my studio..creating!

[Dorie95]

Yesterday I picked a page from my coloring book that I'd made awhile back. Cut it out and taped it to the living room window with a small sign that says, "Color Something". I'll change it next week after I color a different one!

We have a lot of people out walking here. Even thought it's still cold, cloudy and dreary people still walk their dogs and exercise. Lots of kids out walking with their Mom's and Dads, too.

[sylviad]

I know what you mean about being somewhat depressed and uncreative right now. I decided to pull out all those "thinking of you" or just note cards that were in my stash and start sending them out. I mailed fifteen (15!) last Monday and 2 more today! I kind of started going through my contact list and sending cards to anyone I hadn't talked with lately. Let's spread the joy! We all need it!

[squirrellyshirley]

I found a coloring book stashed away (the intricate detailed kind). I pulled out a page and I colored ONE flower. I put my name and city and date on the back. Then I mailed it to a friend with a note “add a color, sign the back, mail it on”. I hope it travels nation wide.

[mof118]

I also went through a bunch of older cards I had made- modified some, redid a few and sent them off. Felt good to put out some good vibes - have lots of " thinking of you" cards and if this isn't the time to put those out into the world, I don't know what is! It tickles me to think of all our combined efforts flooding the world with positive energy and "sunshine in an envelope" right now. Stampers and crafters rock! 😎

[GramT]

I looked through my shoeboxes of cards and pulled out several Easter and Spring themed ones to send this week.

[peeps321]

I haven't been making a lot of cards lately (except for VSN samples) but I've been sending cards. I have a ton of cards from challenges from years past that are just sitting here. A lot of them are ones I didn't make with a particular occasion or holiday in mind and since I don't have a large family they're just collecting dust. Well the past 2 weeks I've sent out 6 or 7 each week to family and friends and told them it was from the "Pol archives"...and I've gotten a great response. Many of them are kind of goofy or weird but I think they've made folks smile. I'm going to keep doing it!

[Covington Crafter]

I’ve received phone calls from three happy people surprised to get a card from me. Made my day! I’ll send another batch out tomorrow.

[lazylizard]

I have been making cards like crazy and the care team of which I am a member from our church has been using a lot of my cards to send out to those they have been calling and checking on. I have sent a few, but since our church will be live streaming for Easter, I am on a mission to make as many Easter cards as I can to supply the care team with to send to those who have really felt isolated and not getting to see grown children or grandchildren especially this year.

[ComradeBunny]

I've been really busy with work, so I didn't get much time to create during the week. Now it's the weekend and I'm tired and not feeling creative. It stinks because I have a card I'm trying to make, but nothing seems right. Not to mention that it is cold and rainy out. I finally have time to create and I'm just feeling blah.

[harvestmoon]

Let us know what you are trying to create and we can throw some ideas your way. wWe're all here to help each other.

[ComradeBunny]

Quote:

Originally Posted by harvestmoon

Let us know what you are trying to create and we can throw some ideas your way. wWe're all here to help each other.

Thanks. I started a thread and now I have the perfect idea. Unfortunately, I just took the COVID-19 test so I can't send the card I'm making for a minimum of 5 days when the results come back. It's frustrating.

[JRHolbrook]

Quote:

Originally Posted by squirrellyshirley

I found a coloring book stashed away (the intricate detailed kind). I pulled out a page and I colored ONE flower. I put my name and city and date on the back. Then I mailed it to a friend with a note “add a color, sign the back, mail it on”. I hope it travels nation wide.

I love that idea!

[DebbieinOC]

Beautiful card and an even more beautiful sentiment. I hope the joy you send to others returns ten-fold to you. So, keep crafting and spreading beauty.

[DebbieinOC]

Quote:

Originally Posted by squirrellyshirley

I want to stamp .... and it’s been a wish not to have to take the kids 100 places ....... but then overwhelming sadness overcomes my creativity and I just sit and stare at the paper.

I feel like everything seems so unimportant in comparison to what some of the cities are enduring.

I’m a nurse. And I wish I could help my fellow nurse warriors.

Maybe I Can send a card to a nurses station..... just say THANK YOU!!

This is hard and it does suck and it does make me feel like I have no control at time. So doing something positive, even something small and frivolous like coloring a single flower is important. It reminds me there is more to life than this virus, it reminds me there is still much beauty in the world and my own backyard and it just makes me smile when I finish something. So, I encourage you to try -- if not a card then something else you love -- and just look for that little spark of positive. Hugs to you and all colleagues. You are our heroes.

[DancesWithHooves]

*hugs*
I love your heart, Karen!

I am thankfully still working, and even more thankfully, from the safety of my own home. They are talking about us having to return to the office Monday already which terrifies me, to be honest - the virus hasn't peaked here yet (it's only just arrived in our county within the last week), and to me, the open-air office of ours is the last place I want to be until this gets a little less intense.

Looking forward to seeing the beauties you all create! It warms my heart!

Blessings,
Chrissy

[Paper Junky]

Question: (And maybe I really shouldn't even ask) - Anyway, in the first post, what does "mf" stand for?

[k dunbrook]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paper Junky

Question: (And maybe I really shouldn't even ask) - Anyway, in the first post, what does "mf" stand for?

it stands for my friends

[k dunbrook]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Covington Crafter

I’ve received phone calls from three happy people surprised to get a card from me. Made my day! I’ll send another batch out tomorrow.

...soooo awesome. I've had a few too. I'm glad I was able to brighten someone else's day!

[k dunbrook]

I love this sentiment...speaks to me right now

[Paper Junky]

Thank you SO MUCH for clarifying. I was pretty sure it wasn't what was coming to mind but what was coming to mind was creating too much of a block for me to come up with other options.

[squirrellyshirley]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DancesWithHooves

*hugs*
I love your heart, Karen!

I am thankfully still working, and even more thankfully, from the safety of my own home. They are talking about us having to return to the office Monday already which terrifies me, to be honest - the virus hasn't peaked here yet (it's only just arrived in our county within the last week), and to me, the open-air office of ours is the last place I want to be until this gets a little less intense.

Looking forward to seeing the beauties you all create! It warms my heart!

Blessings,
Chrissy

Do you need a mask ? I’ll mail you a couple. Stay safe.
Hugs.
Stamp on.

[squirrellyshirley]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DebbieinOC

This is hard and it does suck and it does make me feel like I have no control at time. So doing something positive, even something small and frivolous like coloring a single flower is important. It reminds me there is more to life than this virus, it reminds me there is still much beauty in the world and my own backyard and it just makes me smile when I finish something. So, I encourage you to try -- if not a card then something else you love -- and just look for that little spark of positive. Hugs to you and all colleagues. You are our heroes.

Thank you.

I feel like I am experiencing something called “survival guilt”. I have read horrendous first count stories of nurses on the front line and my heart breaks for them. The city I live in has not been hit very hard and I only work very part time. Yet I feel like I should be helping or working or something!!!

I dusted off an unfinished scrapbooking project but it’s hard to even do anything. My house is NOISY all the time. With all the kids all home and my college kid back home, all the time, I don’t get one minute alone.
4 kids
4 diff schools
4 devices.
4 websites.
4 different rooms.
4 different expectations
24 different teachers
2 different states.
A whole lotta cooking and cleaning constantly.

Stamp on my friend.

[Paper Junky]

Quote:

Originally Posted by k dunbrook

it stands for my friends

Thank you SO MUCH for clarifying. I knew it couldn't have been what was blocking my mind!!

Update:  Apparently, I had forgotten I'd already sent a thank you.

[KC Hadley]

Thank you for a good laugh, Brenda! Much appreciated!

[DebbieinOC]

Quote:

Originally Posted by squirrellyshirley

Thank you.

I feel like I am experiencing something called “survival guilt”. I have read horrendous first count stories of nurses on the front line and my heart breaks for them. The city I live in has not been hit very hard and I only work very part time. Yet I feel like I should be helping or working or something!!!

I dusted off an unfinished scrapbooking project but it’s hard to even do anything. My house is NOISY all the time. With all the kids all home and my college kid back home, all the time, I don’t get one minute alone.
4 kids
4 diff schools
4 devices.
4 websites.
4 different rooms.
4 different expectations
24 different teachers
2 different states.
A whole lotta cooking and cleaning constantly.

Stamp on my friend.

I wish there was more I could do to help you too. In the meantime, Hugs, Shirley.

[DebbieinOC]

I'm a big fan of Amy Young and her post today made me smile. So I thought I would share the link and I hope you enjoy her cards too. Hugs everyone and stay safe.

https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fHrKrgxpdaA/Xo_yAvfceII/AAAAAAAAPCc/eRV3g3Z31OAszNeaN1FrTGR8Ksj8rrEVACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/posetwater.jpg