Thursday, January 8, 2015

Just because . . .

I did not establish any New Year's Resolutions for 2015, but I do have some ideas for the year.


I got my first idea from the magazine, Daphne's Diary, and I give Ricki Jill of Art @ Home credit for my idea.


Ricki wrote a post about Daphne's Diary on January 14, 2014 and I was immediately wanted to find the magazine.


My sweet sister, who was living in London at the time, bought me all the issues for 2014 and recently gave them to me when she returned from life in London.


I randomly began with Issue 2 for 2014 - a year behind, but that doesn't matter.


I got my idea from the very first page in the magazine -


because I love making things and


I love giving things away.


 "Daphne's" idea is a perfect way for me to start off the new year.


So, I am spending the month of January making Valentine hearts and sending my creations on to others.


Actually, the first heart mailed off is not something I created.


I look for heart rocks every time I walk on the beach and when I spotted this rock with a heart miraculously worn into it, I knew just which blog friend would appreciate it.


Each night I sit by the toasty fire with my needlework basket and create.


I am having fun using up scraps of fabric


and bits of wire.


I have to admit, I am feeling a little selfish with this January project - I am having fun both creating and deciding who will receive a heart.


My challenge to you is to take 3 cards (they don't have to be handmade) and mail them off to 3 friends you haven't communicated with in awhile.


I would love to hear back from you what reaction you get from your friends.

66 comments:

  1. Great idea Carol. How sweet of your sister to bring you so many of Daphne's magazines.

    Your stitched hearts are so cute. I'm sure they will be cherished.

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  2. Ooooh, I mailed three cards yesterday to aging aunts and uncles. One of my goals for the year is to communicate by mail more. I love your idea of making some pretty cards. :)

    Your stitched hearts are amazing! Are you hand stitching the outside of the heart? No sewing machine? Maybe I could do that.

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  3. Carol, That is a lovely gift from your sister. I like all the hearts you posted. Blessings, xoxo,Susie

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  4. What a gorgeous magazine! and I can just imagine how much inspiration is between those covers! I just got through doing that at Christmas...I'm into cleaning and organizing now but you go girl! I love what you've created so far.

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  5. Uh, selfish? I think not. You are very generous both with your time and your goodies!
    Brenda

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  6. What a great way to start off the new year by making heart presents for your friends. I like the idea about sending a card to 3 friends too!

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  7. What a great idea, Carol...I'm going to send some cards out to some old friends. Our local Barns & Noble carries Daphne's Diary and I picked up a couple of issues a few months ago. I really like it.
    ~Cindy

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  8. This is such a lovely idea, Carol! Who doesn't love getting a real card in the mail to hold and read...especially in this digital age.
    Great way to start off the new year.
    Mary Alice

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  9. I love sending real mail. I participated in a 52 Letters in 52 Weeks Challenge a few years ago, and it was such a successful and happy experience that I have re-challenged myself each year since. I don't receive too many letters in return, but some letters and some phone calls. Just the thought of the recipient finding a handwritten letter among their junk mail is enough to keep me going.

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  10. You hearts are adorable, and I love the idea of sending off the cards!!

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  11. You rock! I love this and think it is so cool!!! Passing on the good is so the way to go...I'm so going to do it! I will let you know how it goes!!! Happy day and happy creating buddy! Nicole xoxo

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  12. What a fun idea Carol and what a sweet blessing for your friends to receive a heart from you! I am loving the look of this magazine! I wish we had something like that here in the US!. I would subscribe to it for sure. I will take you up on your challenge. Happy mail is always a good thing! Have a blessed Friday!

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  13. beautiful craft ideas !!! !!! love greetings from angie

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  14. Carol, what a lovely idea! I think we can share ourselves in so many ways and cards or gifts is absolutely one of those ways. I'll take your challenge!
    hugs,
    Linda

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  15. Great idea, Carol! I'm going to do it. I'll let you know how it goes.....maybe even blog about the experience.

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  16. I love this idea Carol. Isn't it fun to stumble on to a juicy little idea and run with it? You have such a generous heart you're always looking for ways to give something to others.
    xo
    Leslie
    ps I walked a mile yesterday motivated by you and I'm sore. I think I need better shoes too cause my feet hurt.

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  17. It is a wonderful idea, and love writing and receiving cards. I'm also knitting so many hearts for VDay. I love the magazine and never heard about them before. It's been bitter cold here, and not only do we have the furnace full blast but we also have an oil heater on. Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! Glad to know you are warm.

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  18. I LOVE your creations! I am so not a crafter and very envious of your beautiful work.

    Enjoy your secret Cupid mission!

    xox

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  19. I love your idea, and I will take the challenge. :-)
    I will keep you posted.
    Carla

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  20. I enjoyed this very much, Carol. While I won't be able to join in the card-making (I am only just holding things together, still) I will enjoy popping by to see what you've made and what you've sent and received. I love anything that brings people together, makes them smile and makes the world a little smaller.

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  21. Carol, I visit your beautiful blog often. I made several hearts from scrap material last Jan. And keep them in an old wooden bowl that belonged fo my mother. I was just thinking the other day about sewing some more and sending them to my precious niece who is like a sister to me. Your beautiful pictures of the ones you have sewn have inspired me and given me ideas. Thanks... Have a great weekend.

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  22. Carol, I can't believe I'm reading this! One of my plans for 2015 is to write to my family and friends. Not via email, or Facebook messages or any such thing, but rather the old-fashioned way. Sitting down with pen and paper and writing a letter or a note. Then I open up your blog post and this is what I see. I love it! It's nearly a lost art and the thought of communicating in this way gets me so excited. Thank you for writing this and sharing the words from the magazine. I adore the idea of making notecards, and now I'm so inspired. xxx ~ Nancy P.S. This is the first I've heard of Daphne's Diary It sounds like a magazine I might like. I'll look for it.

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  23. I'm in. I have to think of who will be the lucky recipients. I'll let you know how it turns out.

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  24. Carol, you have such a giving heart! Your creations are just precious. I am going to do this for sure! For the last two years I challenged myself each day during the month of February to spread a little more love. I had so much fun doing it and received so much love in return. I will report back. lol! I have never heard of this magazine, but it looks delightful!
    hugs,
    Jann

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  25. Great idea. I used to be so good about sending cards. My mother always has been. I have tons of supplies. I did put some supplies in a basket two days ago to make cards. I said I would make some for some over seas soldiers. Earlier tonight I thought about when I made a simple Valentine for all the residents of a nursing home. It took forever but I know they loved seeing them on their trays.
    I hosted heart swaps before, were you in one? Seems to me you were in one and you never got the package. I love all those hearts. I think it is so sweet that you are having fun deciding who to send them to.
    Hugs

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  26. What a wonderful idea, Carol. I've always been a pen and paper girl, so I'm in! I'll keep you posted! :)

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  27. Oh Carol how sweet and what a wonderful idea. I love all your sweet hearts and I know all of those you send them too will love them. With the cold winds blowing and the snow coming down I am going to sit and write some cards to those I have not communicated with for awhile. Thank you for this sweet idea. How fun and heart warming.
    Kris

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  28. What a lovely idea, Carol! I didn't take the time to mail out Christmas cards this year, so why not send cards now?

    I've never heard of that magazine before, but the covers sure look tantalizing! Enjoy!

    Vickie

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  29. I*ve got a couple of her books and love them. They are hard to find tho. I LOVE the idea of sending out cards like that. I will definitely take the challenge. There is nothing that makes my heart beat any faster than to go to the mailbox and sort thru the mail and find a hand addressed card - especially with a note written inside. I think we really miss a lot of precious chances when we don't do things like that. Thanks so much for the spurring on.

    All of your little creations are just adorable. Lucky friends.

    Judy

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  30. What lovely hearts and a lovely idea, Pam

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  31. the magazines covers are darling! and what a sweet idea:) my friend just sent me such a card! love your heart pillows and wire heart!

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  32. What a beautiful idea and some beautiful crafts to go with it! I love your little fabric hearts especially. Maybe that's a good project to try on my sewing machine that I still haven't used! I love that you look for hearts in nature.

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  33. Dearest friend!

    I am rather late in visiting; it took me TWO HOURS to get home yesterday during a blizzard. I am so happy to be home, but we have to battle the cold once again on this chilling morning! But at least it's FRIDAY!

    How I'd truly love to stay at home, creating and trying out new ways to tell stories, to enhance my story telling with photos of art, etc....but I suppose I do a bit of this in the classroom. Your cottage is such a warm place to visit, and thank you for always inspiring us. NOW! To see your little Carol's Cottage when it's done!

    HAPPY DAY! Anita

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  34. What a great idea, and I love all your trinkets :)

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  35. I am a handmade greeting card artist and I love hearing about others who celebrate this wonderful way to acknowledge the special people in our lives.

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  36. You know how much I love your hearts! In fact, I brought them all out again the other day. I have them in a long, skinny vintage drawer on top of the butler's table in my kitchen. When I do a feature on my kitchen for my next blog post, you will see them. Homemade cards...me, my mom, and an aunt are getting together on a Saturday in a few weeks to have a card making day. I like doing this sort of thing with others instead of on my own - makes it more fun!

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  37. Carol.
    Server problems with our computer and dealing with this Bronchitis from the flu is making me weak and late to all my favorite bloggers. A visit to your post is like a dose of sunshine, I delight in your energy and hey please bottle some for me and send it. It seems all my body can do right now is shiver and cough!
    Love your sweet little hearts, so cute. But Carol I love your big heart more.
    Since John and I had a greeting card company in the 90's and I designed a 240 piece line of die-cut cards, die-cut pads and writing paper you best believe I'm a big advocate for sending cards out as little surprises. What better little pick me up can you get from just opening up an envelope from a friend.
    XOXO,
    Vera

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  38. What a lovely idea! I have never seen that magazine before and would love to find them myself.

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  39. Love the hearts you are making.
    I have been sending cards lately to friends who have been ill or had surgery or just as a word of encouragement. When I was working I was so bad about buying cards and never sending them. I have been sending handwritten letters, too.

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  40. Carol your post is not just lovely, but it is packed with love . . . and I love that :)
    Your hearts are beautiful. Oh, and that calendar; I have never seen anything like that.
    So clever. Did you make it?
    Have fun with your hearts. I have the ones that you made me last year hanging in my studio :)
    Keep Smiling, Connie

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  41. You are always doing for others! You're a great friend. I love those little hearts you're making and how each one is different. I'm sure it's a great way to spend some quiet time too.

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  42. Love this post! I can imagine how happy you are making the people that receive your cards and hearts. What a sweet way of reconnecting with people. And it sounds like you're really enjoying yourself while making all these lovely creations. I think I'll send out a couple of cards - thanks for the inspiration!

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  43. Beautiful hearts & what a lovely idea.

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  44. I love this idea, Carol...and the magazines look wonderful!

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  45. I love this idea, Carol! Your little hearts are adorable.
    Hugs,
    Sherry

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  46. I love the hearts. I also love Daphne's Diary. xoox

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  47. Carol, this is the sweetest idea. I love it! I call this kind of gift, a heart and hand gift, one made with both one's heart and hands. What little treasures you are sending off. ;-) I will look for Daphne's Diary. Somehow I missed RJ's post about these books last year. I will go back and find it.
    Savor your January project. It's truly special!

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  48. Such a wonderful and kind idea. I haven't heard of Daphne's Diary but will look for it now as it looks to be such a sweet read. xx

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  49. Daphne's Diary is my favorite magazine. I love everything about it! I can get lost in it like a book. I love your idea, Carol. I know your friends will be thrilled to receive the hearts!

    I can think of two or three friends who would appreciate a card from me, and I would be thrilled hearing back from them, too.

    I will let you know how my friends respond to my cards….I actually bought some watercolor cards recently, so I'll make them.

    Daphne's Diary is now available at Barnes and Noble :)

    xo,
    RJ

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  50. What a fun and thoughtful gift from your sister. I'm sure you could spend hours reading every one of them from cover to cover. Your hearts are so precious and so is your idea of sending a special note to friends...just because.

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  51. Dear, dear Carol,

    I will still be here every time you post. It was a very hard decision today to finally say it: "I'm done."

    But I am NOT done with my friendships and inspiring blogger pals like you. I will be here time and time again, every time you post. Thank you for the love. Much happiness to you and have a great WEEK! Anita

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  52. Carol! This is such a great idea, and your hearts are just the best! I love the one you stitched with the word love and the red and white check ribbon. SOOOO cute! I need to do this or something similar. There are people I haven't seen in so long who I know would love to be remembered in a special way.

    As to your question to me about the ducks, I bought them from a shop in Florida called Design Additions in Jacksonville. They had them for a couple of springs and might get some this year. Not sure. But I fell in love with them. They are fuzzy, but not feathered. Some sort of fringey stuff. I just loved them. Glad you did, too!

    xo

    Sheila

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  53. OK you convinced me. I just ordered the whole set of back issues minus the one they were out of. Looking forward to some time to enjoy them with a nice cup of tea.

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  54. That's a lovely idea, especially as I've lost touch with a few friends, and all your hearts are delightful.

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  55. I love this! Those magazines are so lovely, aren't they? I've seen them before but haven't yet bought one.

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  56. Hi Carol, wonderful idea and the hearts are adorable. I've been sewing some hearts too for sachets and pin cushions. You are always such an inspiration. Have a great week.
    Hugs

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  57. JOY and LOVE is what you spread around your world!! You have been blessed with a very kind heart and giving spirit! I am taking your challenge!! I'm just sitting here watching the college championship game, a perfect time to get out some cards and start writing!!! Thank you and Blessings to you!!

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  58. What you're saying is completely true. I know that everybody must say the same thing, but I just think that you put it in a way that everyone can understand. I'm sure you'll reach so many people with what you've got to say.

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  59. What a lovely post, Carol! I like your ideas and how you are being a blessing to others. I was always one to send cards and I have gotten away from it the last couple of years. The cost of stamps has gone up so much here in Canada that I simply stopped. But it stills remains a lovely thing to do since now, more than ever it is almost unexpected. Love the heart rock! I collect rocks from around the world. I don't travel much but a few of my family members do and they are always sending me rocks. It's a wonderful hobby I started as a child and then got away from. But the last number of years, I have started again. I have quite a collection now. I do need to display them somehow though. Thanks for sharing and have a wonderful week.

    Blessings,
    Sandi

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  60. What a lovely idea Carol. I am happy you are having so much fun making your sweet little hearts.

    Hugs and Kisses,
    ❤️Ana

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  61. What a beautiful idea and a perfect evening project! I like the idea of sending cards during a time of year when they are unexpected. Thanks for sharing dear friend.
    Blessings,
    Patti

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  62. what a sweet idea Carol and it uses up all thoses little bits of scraps. I miss the old ways of communication via the letter writing and post cards. I have a stash of old post cards with little notes of life from the early 1900's and always think of what those people were like who wrote them. One year I made them into ornaments with lace and ribbon and embellishments. Some of our friends and relatives loved them and some just didn't get the idea of the sentamentality...I still send them for different occasions and more than not get lots of thanks and appreciation from those who truly enjoy them.

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  63. The hearts are so sweet. Blessed are the friends that will receive one of your hearts.

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  64. I have never been that lucky to find a heart shaped rock on the beach when I lived in the coast. The hearts are so pretty that you made. I made some last year but have not had a chance to get them out.

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