Today was a religious experiment

Okay, that sounds a little strange, but today was a religious experiment, not experience!  Debby and I had talked about the need to make some cards for religious occasions for the craft sale.  The sale is May 5, and that means we should have some cards for baptism, confirmation, first communion, weddings, and sympathy cards, too.  I do not give alot of thought to these occasions any more, as my children and nieces and nephews are all grown up and married, and the little ones have not reached the sacrament stage yet.  But, in looking at my stamp sets, I fall short when it comes to anything that is particularly religious in nature.  So, last week I headed off to the craft store, coupon in hand, and looked for a stamp set that I would use.  I found one that I thought was very nice, for the craft store variety.  I have not had alot of luck with the clear stamps, but I was willing to give it another shot. 

I actually went online to the stamp maker's website to look for project ideas, and was very disappointed.  I found nothing using the stamp set I had purchased, and little that I even found inspirational.  Very disappointing.  But, I don't need anybody elses' ideas, when I have my own!  So, I hit the craft table, and started experimenting.  I had this idea of creating kind of a collage using all these tiny little stamps (they called them inchies).  I was just not digging it.  I went looking for a background stamp, and saw these big old stamps I have had for at least 12 years, because I used them for my daughter's wedding.  I did a bunch of experimenting, and tossing, and finally came up with something I liked.  Here is my collage experiments. 

 I wanted to also do some of these inchie stamps on blocks on cards.  Here is where I got frustrated.  I am so used to using Stampin' Up! products, and the clear acrylic stamps don't always work well with the SU stamp pads.  The ink bubbles up, and the printing comes out all dotted.  I tried washing off the stamps first.  I tried different papers.  I was about to toss the whole project, and then I remembered that a couple years ago I got a free stamp pad at an event.  It was a new pad for acrylic stamps.  I pulled in out of the drawer and gave it a try.  The color was onyx, but it looked pale gray to me.  I would have to work with that, if I was going to use this stamp set, and today I was determined to

make some religious cards.  Well, I did come up with a couple cards, but a lot of things hit the trash today. 

I was so glad when the UPS man dropped off my Stampin' Up! order today.  New paper, new ribbon, and even my crosses stamp set.  Tomorrow I can have another religious experience, and can rest assured it will turn out better.