Do you have any Keepers? I do!

 Just a short short post today, but one I've meant to write for awhile.

I deliberately named this blog with papercrafting in mind, rather than saying card making--even though most of what I make are cards!

I used to subscribe to Stampin' Up!'s Paper Pumpkin subscription box, and in the early days (except for some really boring months), they mixed things up with a small spring wreath and a calendar. Now the only non-cards they seem to offer--and they offer these every year, just with different designs--are Halloween treat bags, Christmas bags/boxes, Valentine's Day treat bags, and Easter ones. Those are cute ideas if you have small children giving to friends (I would NEVER give to trick-or-treaters unless wrapped candy was inside!), but...not so much for me, since my kids are grown.

Still, I love non-cards. I've shown a few other things I've done (decor, calendar).

Then there are the cards that...are never going to be cards. They're Keepers.

This Keeper always gives me peace.

I made the design, and fully expected to turn it into a card, but...I really want to keep it. So I do. Or at least, so far I'm keeping them!

The card front above was one of those. I used the Color Layering Waves stamp set by Hero Arts. Their color layering stamp collections are really wonderful. 

I made the card front, and at first, I thought I'd goofed. There was white paper showing between the blue waves and the beige sand! Then I looked at it again. Hey, I grew up going to the beach. When waves hit the sand, there's that bit of white foam on the edges.  OK, I loved it! I ended up making several similar designs. Oh...and the writing in the sand!!! I also have a set by Close to My Heart called Writing in the Sand that also has that style of sand writing. I used the same color ink that I'd used for color blending the sand--the tone-on-tone look is perfect, I think!

So...if you make a design you love, Keep it! Mine is just stored in a drawer, but I'll be going through and I'll see it and...it makes me happy all over again!

Have a great day!