Hello and welcome to my blog. Since it is PRIDE month I wanted to see what I could create using products that I had on hand to share some love to the LGBTQ+ community. So, I sat down and came up with what I think is a super cute card. I will be sharing a few more cards for PRIDE month all month long so be on the watch for those as well. Here's a look at my card today.
Creating the Rainbow:
To create the rainbow paper I needed for this card it was super super simple. I pulled out a piece of the Small Grid Paper for the Stamparatus and cut it down to 4" x 5 1/4". I then attached that to a piece of Adhesive Sheet that I had cut to the same size. At this point I could start start cutting down my rainbow strips. I used scraps of Real Red, Pumpkin Pie, Daffodil Delight, Garden Green, Pacific Point, and Gorgeous Grape Cardstocks.
I took the scraps to my Paper Trimmer and cut them down to different sizes and and attached them to the Adhesive covered Small Grid Paper. I used the lines of the Small Grid Paper to line everything up. That way I knew each strip would be straight.
A Little Heart:
Next it was super simple to continue on. Well kind of anyways. I will explain more in a minute. I took the rainbow cardstock that I had made and the plain heart punch from the Heart Punch Pack and started moving it around the handmade cardstock piece to find the perfect place to try and get all the colors of the Pride flag into the heart. I knew that I wanted to have a loved/encouragement card which was why I picked the heart punch.
It was almost impossible to get all the colors represented in the small heart. I could of used a die to do it but I didn't think that I had a heart die that was right. Now as I am sitting here typing my blog post I remembered the Many Hearts Dies from the January - June Mini Catalog and they would have been perfect; darn it! But, it all worked out in the end. I also punched out four or five hearts in Basic Black Cardstock to place behind the rainbow heart. I did this for two reasons; one was to add more stability the the heart since it was just cardstock strips adhered to the very thin grid paper, and two I knew that it would be seen slightly and act as a little framed edge around the rainbow heart.
You Are Loved:
To get my love encouragement sentiment I went through several stamp sets that I had in my stash looking for the perfect one. I found a few stamp sets that I could use but none of them were the right one. I finally came across the A Wish for Everything Stamp Sets and went through all the small sentiments and found the one that said "Just a Little Reminder That You Are Loved." And this was the one! I knew it in my heart that this would be the sentiment for my PRIDE card.
As that little fat gay kid in the South growing up I remembered how I felt so unloved and unwanted growing up. Feeling like I was the only one in the world with these strange feelings that I was taught was wrong. You see I grew up going to a small country Southern Baptist Church and remembering the preacher and many others that would come and visit preach on how homosexuality was a sin and "you were going to hell!" I remember going with my parents one night to a church and they were playing a movie. It was the late 70s early 80s, I wasn't very old at all, but this movie was so traumatizing! It was a movie about how sinners, homosexuals, and non Christians would get the mark of the beast and go to hell! I remember that people were chasing other people holding them down and branding them with 666. And, people in the South wonder why homosexuals have such a problem with some churches and how they do things. Anyway, that was the last time my mother ever attended church. She was as traumatized as I was, mine was just kept a secret.
My point of that whole story is simply; if I had been given a card like this letting me know that I was okay to be who I was and that I was loved for being myself then growing up in a conservative homophobic state wouldn't have been as hard as it was. Once I got older and went to college and was told "Hey its okay that you are gay and we love you anyway!" that's when I knew that it wasn't a "sin" "bad" or any negative word that is used against homosexuals that I was okay.
Finishing Touches:
Okay so back to the card. To finish off the card I used some of the Rainbow Glimmer Paper to add a little glitter to the card. I mean all gays love glitter and since this paper is rainbow it was perfect. I cut the Rainbow Glimmer Paper with one of the dies from the Forever Flourishing Dies and attached them behind the popped up heart with a little Multipurpose Liquid Glue. I took the sentiment from the Well Said Stamp Set and heat embossed it onto some Basic Black Cardstock and cut it down to two small sentiment strips. I then added a few sequins from the Artistry Blooms Adhesive Backed Sequins to complete the card.
Thanks for dropping by today, I hope that you have a wonderful day and that you recreate this card for someone that you may know in your family, workplace, or life in general that's gay and may need a little encouragement and support. Let them know that they are loved and you support them for who they are not who they love. If you are LGBTQ+ and in the closet and afraid about what people may think or you're out to some but feel unloved, unwanted, or discouraged and you are reading this post. This is just a little reminder from me that you are loved! If you need any of the supplies that you have seen today you can pick them up in my online store.
Happy Stampin'
Rick Adkins
Creative Stampers June Tutorial Bundle:
Get the June 2021 Creative Stampers Tutorial Bundle Free with any size order in my online store or it can be purchased for $22 in my
Tutorial Store. The June Creative Stampers Tutorial Bundle features 10 creatively fun projects using our favorite new products from the 2021-2022 Stampin' Up! Annual Catalog
.
Coffee & A Card with Rick Round 2:
Round 2 runs from June 4, 2021 through July 2, 2021 You will need to place your orders by June 18, 2021 to receive the Round 2 Card Kits. Video Tutorials will be Live on my YouTube Channel each Friday, at 11:30 am CST.
Join me each week for Coffee & A Card on my YouTube Channel!
Place a $44 order before shipping and taxes using this month's Coffee & A Card Host Code CKPEVJ37. You will have to use the Coffee & A Card Host Code in order to get the card kits. Card Kits are available until June 18, 2021 (or while supplies last). I will send you the card kits to make all five Coffee & A Card projects Free as a thank you gift. Kits will be mailed to the address that is on the order. Additional Items Needed: https://s.tamp.in/_QZLi0
Shopping Link with Round 2’s Host Code: https://www.stampinup.com?hostcode=CKPEVJ37
Just a little reminder that I can only ship within the United States.
Rick's Fun Summer Stamping Special:
Summer is almost here, and I am super excited to announce my Summer Promotion for this year. This year I want to kick summer off with a bang and with a whole lot of fun too! And what is more fun that spending summer stamping together! You will be able to earn tokens for a couple different things. When you earn a token, I will put your name on it during my weekly Facebook Live and drop it into my Garden of Fun Prize Bucket! At the end of the promotion, I will do a prize draw for some fun prizes from everyone’s name in the bucket.
Stampin' Up! Shopping List:
What a beautiful card and story. I love all your designs and you, just as you are. Thanks for sharing your talents and inspiration.
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