So I created a card using my Cricut Expression and the A Child's Year Cartridge. I also used the Mother's Day Bouquet cartridge to create my flower. I added some glitter to her wand, and rhinestones to her wings.
I added flower stamens to the center of my flower and a bit of black twine behind it.
Heather had some connection through her church to a ministry called Sister Connection that works in Burundi Africa to bring hope and healing to the widows and orphans of the Civil War that happened in the 1990’s. One of the ways they do that is by building homes – at an incredible cost of only $600! They hire local builders, and purchase supplies locally as well, fostering a sense of ownership and pride within the community. In Burundian society, widows are viewed as outcasts, and have no one to advocate for them. The miracle of a new home is a testimony to the widow, her children, her community, and ultimately, to the country at-large. “Widows and orphans deserve healing, dignity, and hope!”
I would like for you to meet someone very special. Her name is Charlotte (Ndimurwanko Charlotte). She is the first recipient of a home through sales of Heather's cards. She has also committed to partnering with her as a sponsor for $30 a month to help provide her and her family with food, seed to plant, clothing, household necessities, medical care, and education assistance.
Charlotte has 3 married children, and she cares for 3 orphaned grandchildren. Her husband passed away in 1983. Her health is not good. This new home will help restore dignity and hope for Charlotte and her children. It is a true testimony of God’s love to the widow and orphan and a constant reminder that they are not forgotten.
To help Heather celebrate her Blogiversary, I am giving a bit of blog candy away! How about a full package of Teresa Collins Timeless paper, Teresa Collins trim, a Cuttlebug folder, a stamp, and a full distressing tool kit?!
What do you need to win this little prize package? Become a follower if you are not already and leave a comment telling me how you help people in your community or globally. On Sunday night at 9 P.M. EST, I will pick one winner randomly.
I would like for you to meet someone very special. Her name is Charlotte (Ndimurwanko Charlotte). She is the first recipient of a home through sales of Heather's cards. She has also committed to partnering with her as a sponsor for $30 a month to help provide her and her family with food, seed to plant, clothing, household necessities, medical care, and education assistance.
Charlotte has 3 married children, and she cares for 3 orphaned grandchildren. Her husband passed away in 1983. Her health is not good. This new home will help restore dignity and hope for Charlotte and her children. It is a true testimony of God’s love to the widow and orphan and a constant reminder that they are not forgotten.To help Heather celebrate her Blogiversary, I am giving a bit of blog candy away! How about a full package of Teresa Collins Timeless paper, Teresa Collins trim, a Cuttlebug folder, a stamp, and a full distressing tool kit?!
What do you need to win this little prize package? Become a follower if you are not already and leave a comment telling me how you help people in your community or globally. On Sunday night at 9 P.M. EST, I will pick one winner randomly.
It is BEAUTIFUL Michele! Thanks SOOO much for joining me in this today!!!
ReplyDeletehousesbuiltofcards@gmail.com
www.housesbuiltofcards.blogspot.com
Love your card! Gorgeous
ReplyDeleteYour card is so amazing Michele!! The cuts are beautiful as well as that flower!!
ReplyDeleteTFS
It may not be much but I spend alot of time helping out at the school my children attend. I am an active member of the PTO and on top of my duties with that I also use the cards I make to send birthday wishes to all the staff. For the teachers to receive a random act of kindness in the shape of a card brings so much happiness to their day and to mine as well :)
jessica
chick-n-scrap.blogspot.com
eschfamily@yahoo.com
Love your card and that flower is gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteI have been an active member and officer in a local Zonta Club for 7 years, until our move to Canada. Which there is no longer a club near me. Zonta.org is where you can find more info. Zonta is active in advancing the status of women locally and globally.
Michelle
ScrapbookingSOS.blogspot.com
WOW Absolutely GORGEOUS, LOVE this design and that flower is STUNNING Michele!!!!
ReplyDeleteAt the risk of sounding self-serving, my husband, daughter and I volunteer monthly at the local Food Bank, and have been volunteering at various homeless shelter's since 1993 when my schizophrenic brother became homeless. I've negotiated contracts with the federal Government for financial assistance to at least 2 homeless shelters. In addition, we have taught our 13-year old daughter to perform community service since she was 7 years old. She also volunteers at the Food Bank and plays piano for seniors every week at the local nursing home. When we clean out closets, we donate clothing, shoes, and household items to the needy in Tijuana and Mexicali, Mexico. God bless Heather for her efforts.
ReplyDeleteYour creations are always so lovely, Michele! I donate handmade cards to our local humane society for their gift shop to help raise dollars for those furry little balls of love.
ReplyDeletehttp://lillianchild.blogspot.com
lillianchild at cox dot net
What a beautiful card! Thanks for sharing! :-) My husband and I volunteer with a project that provides gifts for those less fortunate at Christmas. We love doing it every year!
ReplyDeleteOh, It looks like that fairy is growing a magic flower. So pretty. I don't help in a grand way... but I teach a Sunday School class at church.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous card - that flower is simply stunning!!
ReplyDeleteI'm a new follower. My family sponsors a little girl in Peru through a Christian nonprofit. Her family has a hard time making ends meet so our donation provides them with money for food, clothing, and medical costs. :)
Jen
Jmueller409 at yahoo dot com
beautiful card, I adore your flower!!! I am a new follower here. I try always to be kind and help those in need with whatever I can. I try to always offer my time. Love also to help by making cards to cheers those in need too.
ReplyDeleteEva :0)
evascrapslife(at)gmail(dot)com
http://evasscrapsncards.blogspot.com
I have a giveaway on my blog
What a great way to give back! Gorgeous card! The economy has hit me hard, but one of my favorite ways to give back is making things for the local Christmas organization. Fortunately I have a stockpile of fleece and tulle, so my daughter and I are making some dress up kits with featherless (fleece) boas (that can double as scarfs) and tutus. I also donate cards to a local organization that provides a courtesy room for travelling military, I figure they often don't have time to shop for cards on their way home.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great person to help these widows. I need to do more. I want to help my x-doctor that retired to help the Haiti people. I am thinking of opening an etsy shop and donating part of the money.
ReplyDeleteI am helping a family with a special needs son with after school care. I know it's just a couple hours a day but they would have to quit work otherwise.
oh my lovely card so beautiful and the details and colors just blow me away...thanks for the chance to win...you all have such wonderful hearts..thanks for the chance to win some yummy goodies..happy to be a new follower
ReplyDeleteTina
ricktina09@yahoo.com
I think it is beautiful thing you are doing by helping support this cause. Thank you for bringing this issue to our attention and thank for the beautiful card.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful card and a beautiful cause! My 8-5 job is helping people who have been victim's of violent personal crimes. Outside of work, one of my favorite and most rewarding volunteer jobs is serving as a camp counselor at a camp for children who are infected or affected by HIV/AIDS. Sometimes, it seems like that the camp is the most fun that some of the kiddos have all year.
ReplyDeleteI am a long time follower of your blog!
What a gorgeous card! Beautiful details!
ReplyDeleteI have always been very involved in my daughter's school, helping out with fundraisers, PTA board, helping in the classrooms, etc.
DeniseB
I'm new to your blog and just signed up to follow. Can't wait to have a look around. Your creations look fabulous!
ReplyDeleteDeniseB
I just visited Houses Built of Cards. I'm so glad you accepted Heather's invitation or I might not have seen what she is doing. Admire everyone in the comments above. It makes me feel like I can do more. We have sponsored a child for many years thru World Vision ( I feel like she is my only daughter), I volunteer at my son's school, donate to several organizations, and I used to volunteer at church until my son's therapy schedule collided with the time. BTW - you always make such gorgeous cards.
ReplyDeleteStunning card!!
ReplyDeletewww.lovejoypaper.com
How wonderful of Heather for helping in this way and how wonderful of you to help her get the word out!! And to offer blog candy to boot!! thanks so very much!! I had heard about crafting it forward from Scrapbooks Etc. and now I share my cards with local nursing home residents and eventually I will also be sharing bouquets of handmade flowers as well... scrap happy!
ReplyDeleteThis is so beautiful! Your projects are always so elegant! Thanks for the chance to win!
ReplyDeleteLovely card! We give to several foreign missionaries through our church and we also have a church card ministry. Besides sending cards to the military and shut ins or anyone who needs a bit of cheering up we also take donations for our cards which go to a food pantry ministry to help local people in need.
ReplyDeleteslrdowney at hotmail dot com
So amazing! I love this card, and I love the paper you used! It is beautiful! Thanks so much for sharing with us!!
ReplyDeletecherie.goyer at gmail.com
http://oneheartscrapper.blogspot.com
Beautiful card! As for helping people I just try to do what I can when I can for various different circumstances or reasons. I am pretty sure there is a spelling error in here, sorry:)
ReplyDeleteI became a follower!
ReplyDeleteI love the flower on your pretty card!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful card - we donate to an organization called NotForSaleCampaign.org (fight to end human trafficking) and we also give our time to local church and community.
ReplyDeleteLove the card. I belong to a group of ladies in our area that knit, crochet, and sew. We make blankets and other projects and donate them to children in hospitals, victims of fires and soldiers families and many other things. Nothing as big as building houses but we do help a lot. Regina
ReplyDeleteregina95370@sbcglobal.net
Michele -- Your card is gorgeous -- and what a great cause.
ReplyDeleteI just participated (for the first time) in the 21st annual CHOC Walk last weekend at Disneyland. There were 14,000 walkers who showed up at the crack of dawn to do a 5K walk to raise money for the Children's Hospital of Orange County. The walkers raised $1.6 million.
It was very special for me when I saw so many teams holding banners and wearing shirts in honor of and in memory of young patients. And it was also special because my daughter (who currently lives in Taiwan) was there to walk with me. We hope to be able to do the walk again next year.
Fabulous card!! I absolutely adore the flower!
ReplyDeleteI try to help my community whenever I can. I am on the parents board at my son's school, I coach soccer and make monthly supply donations to our humane society. It may not be a lot but it's teaching my son to give back to our town =)
I just became a follower & look forward to seeing all your projects!
jim_candice at yahoo dot ca
http://candiscraps-scrapsofme@blogspot.com/
OH MY! I love love love this card--those colors with black is SOOOOOOOOO gorgeous! I LOVE the silhouette and those flowers...LUSH:)
ReplyDeletewhat a beautiful card. tfs.
ReplyDeleteWow Michele beautiful card and such a great cause.
ReplyDeleteWhat an adorable card! I love the flower too!
ReplyDeletebeautiful card and great reason to get involved. Love the flower.
ReplyDeleteYour card is stunning! I love to make cards and yours are always such an inspirations to me. With that being said, a small act of charity that I like to do is to donate cards I make to residents at the nursing home where I am a nurse. So many times, they would love to have something special to send to their loved ones, but many don't have the means to get out and buy stationery.
ReplyDeleteBeth
I have volunteered at my children's school for many, many years before I decided to work there with children with special needs. I still volunteer and also get to work at something I love to do. Beautiful card for such a great cause, Hugz
ReplyDeletewow what a pretty card! I always love your work! I like to help others by donating to St. Jude hospital. :)
ReplyDeleteMichele: Thanks for participating and sharing this beautiful story. I wish I could say I've done something as wonderful as helping a person like Charlotte and her children. My small contribution is my card ministry. I send cards (by the oodles) to the sick, to deployed military personnel, to the burdened, to anyone I know of (through church or by word of mouth and various ministries) where there is a need for encouragement. I figure, I might as well do something useful to bless others with all these cards I make. Thank you for inspiring me through your blog, and through your kind words.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Karen
karen-mycuprunnethover.blogspot.vom
oooo! such a sweet card! tfs callyann(new follower)
ReplyDeletei always donate jackets and scarves to the local fire station!
What a wonderful card Michele.
ReplyDeleteHugs Riet.xx
The customs of some countries are so odd.
ReplyDeleteA friend of ours has started a project to help fix and clean up some houses and areas in need locally. You can donate your time or money.
What a wonderful thing your friend is doing.
Your card is absolutely gorgeous. I have been a follower of Houses Built of Cards for a bit now ... just signed up to follow your blog and also added you to my Pinterest.
ReplyDeleteI have a helium hand and find myself volunteering all about in the community, at work, and at church. Spent 5 years I was in Korea volunteering for the Girl Scouts altho' I had no girl in the program - it was the most enjoyable time I have spent in a long, long time. Here locally we have been on Habitat build and helping at Camp Prime Time, a camp for children (and families) who are severely disabled.
LOVE the card and love what you're doing. Isn't it a great feeling when you give back? I have gone through (and graduated from) the Citizens Police Academy, Citizens Fire Academy, CERT (Community Emergency Response Team and CART (Child Abduction Team.) Upon graduation, I joined the alumni associations for each and have been involved in each of the organizations. Last year I volunteered 250+ hours for our community.
ReplyDeleteSuZeQ ~ kosec@sbcglobal.net
Heather's story is pretty cool..and her cards are gorgeous. So glad you joined the bloghop. I look for events to participate in that benefit wounded warrior project and buy clothing to support this great cause. I have run in two events so far, and am running a third in November....and I proudly wear by WWP gear.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful card!! Our church does 2 big projects each year ... a community garden - the produce feeds our LOGOS program and the food bank and a Winter Thermal Shelter for the homeless. Really good, helpful "feel good" projects.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful card for a wonderful cause! Your work is always so inspiring to me! I volunteer at my mother's Alzheimer's home helping out with their activities. I am so attached to the residents there (besides my mom of course!) I recently used my E2 and stash of products to make each resident a personalized Happy Halloween door decoration.
ReplyDeleteGail S (jgjspy@att.net)
Your work is Beautiful!! I help anyone or any organization in need of it! I participate in my City's Food Kitchen donating proceeds to help with feeding the homeless. I donate money to local charities to help the homeless. I have bought food and given it to homeless people that I have come in contact with. It is so sad to see these people struggle the way they do when there is so much money being wasted for the wrong reasons. Thank you for doing what you do!
ReplyDeleteDiane
CraftinYourHeArtOut@gmail.com
Love your card. I haven't ever done any community work but I help my grandma out each week with groceries and necessities since she can't get out. Thanks for the hop and chance to win!
ReplyDeletejenlovcarr at aol dot com
Awesomawesome card great cause
ReplyDeleteI have never done anything like that but it's a gonna get me thinking to nake a difference such as I am a reg contributor to soldiers sending cards. I just feel they do so much for us and their families love to hear from them it mmay be the last letter and u he
Ped with that
I am gonna think that's for sure
Gorgeous card! After reading the book Christmas Jars by Jason F. Wright last year, my family decided to start our own jar for someone in need. Throughout the year, we collect loose change, dollar bills, and gift cards and place them in our special jar. On Christmas Eve, we will choose someone in our community who is in need (someone who has suffered some sort of loss or just needs to know someone out there cares for them) and will anonymously place the jar at their doorstep. It's going to be a wonderful tradition to carry on!! I receive your blog posts in my email.
ReplyDeletesueot33@yahoo.com
I love your work Michele ! And I am so happy to see that you have an interest in helping those who are less fortunate than we are. I give back to my community through donations and working on fund-raisers for those who are hungry. I help with the local Food Bank, and Abused WOmen's and CHildren's shelters. I volunteer time and free massage therapy at local nursing homes and assisted living for ALzheimer's patients.
ReplyDeleteYour card is just so very, very beautiful. Thank you for sharing it and your blog for this blog hop.
ReplyDeleteI have made several trips to Romania to work at a "failure-to-thrive" clinic in a small hospital in a village out in the middle of nowhere. The work I did with "my" babies was not work at all it was a gift to me as well as to them. Just carine for those babies who may or may not have families who will return for them is something else again.
Thank you,
Jill
OKScrapGal13@yahoo.com
Tulsa, OK
I missed out on your giveaway so my comment will relate to the "Blogiversary Blog Hop." I love your flower. It is so pretty. A job well done.
ReplyDeleteHazel
hdhall6002 (at) sbcglobal (dot) net
www.the2pinkladies.com
W-O-W! This is amazing! GORGEOUS card!!!
ReplyDeleteWOW, this card is GORGEOUS!!!! I love the colors and dimension with the flower and ribbon. It is SO nice to see people doing such wonderful things for others. I serve in my church and help out at my daughter's school, but sometimes I wish I did a lot more. Hugs- Glora
ReplyDeleteme(at)glorajean(dot)com
Beautiful card!! Im a new follower. I help out at my daughters school all the time.
ReplyDeleteVeronica
mommyscraftycreations.blogspot.com
mommyscraftycreations at gmail dot com
Lovely card. I especially like the flower. I love making flowers also.
ReplyDeleteVery touching story about Charlotte and a great thing for Heather to do. I give to World Vision and also at our church to help the needy in our community. It is such a blessing to be able to help others.
I found your blog through the PPA and now am a follower.
scrappingnana4 @ yahoo dot com
Very inspiring and a great cause! The card is so beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI sponsor a child in Haiti through my home church! She is an adorable little girl with a beautiful smile!
This is a beautiful card ! The story you shared is so very touching. Thanks for linking up to my challenge.
ReplyDeleteThis is a beautiful card ! The story you shared is so very touching.Really excellent post! I like this very much and such information is good. Thanks for sharing this information with us...Good work keep on posting cheers!
ReplyDelete