The Art of Nature: Make Your Own Note Cards From Your Photos

Photo Note Cards From Nature

This week I am sharing with you the art of nature and what you can make with your own photos taken from nature.  

Life is full of lessons all around us.  We have to take the time to see what lessons we can learn from the nature around us and it will reveal those lessons to us one at a time.

This photo was taken in my front yard.  It is a beautiful swallowtail butterfly sitting on my flowering butterfly bush.  I happen to adore butterflies and have tons of flowering plants in my yard to attract them as well as the honey bees.

What you'll need to make your own note card from photos you have taken.  If you have a photo printer you can buy 4x6 photo paper and print out your own prints after you have uploaded off your phone or camera.  

If not, you can use several online sites like SnapFish for a very reasonable price.  Or, take your camera or phone to your nearby drug store such as Walgreens.  

1.  Photos you've taken and printed out 4x6 inches

2.  White Card Stock 8 1/2 x 11 inches

3.  Glue Stick

4.  Scissors

5.  Cutting tool

To begin simply lay your photo on the corner of your card stock and glue it in place.  

Next, you'll want to fold the card stock over to meet the edge and smooth out the fold using a butter knife or bottom of a plastic bottle.

Now you are ready to cut the card stock to fit the size of your photo (4x6 inches)

You can also use scissors if you do not have a cutting tool like mine.  Use your glue stick and coat the back of the photo and place it on top of the card stock.

You just made your own photo note card that you can send to a friend to #cheerup anytime your heart moves you to show love from the lessons of nature.

I hope you enjoyed this easy DIY Photo Note Card life lesson from nature.  Stay tuned as this series continues throughout the year as I share more life lessons from nature that you can share with your friends and family members.

We hope you have enjoyed the news from our VIP Sunshine Club and we look forward to reading your comments.  Don't forget to use the hashtags #giveaway, #cheerup and #MosGiftClub and share our post on your social media to win one of our irresistible handmade gifts next week.

Sending You Sunshine,

Marsha J.
copyright protected 2016

The Art of the Handwritten Note: Send Words That Heal #cheerup #MosGiftClub

Original Artwork Note Cards by Kayla Jaramillo

We all need words that heal spoken to us each day.  If, you need a #cheerup tell me in the comments box below.  Be sure to sign-up for my VIP Sunshine Club with your mailing address and I'll #giveaway one of our irresistible artwork note cards to you in the mail with a healing word or two to #cheerup and brighten your day!

Blue Bird Stationery Personalized Gift Set

When was the last time you sent a handwritten note to a friend?  Each day is packed with stressful situations be they small or big.  So, you don't have to wait for an avalanche of trouble to befall a friend before you send words that heal to them by mail.

Why not order one of our irresistible hand drawn artwork note cards to a friend to #cheerup or just let them know you care.  They are available in our Eco Gift Sampler Bag collection in our Markets of Sunshine Etsy shop.

There are over $35 worth of beautiful and irresistible note cards drawn by my daughter Kayla and soft vintage hankie note cards and matching mini journal sets included with each Eco Gift Sampler stationery collection handmade by me.

Order a set today in our MarketsofSunshine Etsy shop.  Click the shop name where ever you see it on this page or the image on the right side of this page and you'll be whisked away to our shop.  Be sure to sign-up in our VIP Sunshine Club to get your 20% off coupon code to use on your purchase.

                      "The Adventures of Ranger Spencer"
Ranger Spencer and the B.Y.W.S. are all assembled.  As the chairman he calls the meeting to order.  Let's listen in to the meeting.
Tap, tap.  The meeting of the B.Y.W.S. is called to order.
As you all know we have been working on the issue of getting rid of the Ferrell cats from our beautiful backyards.
While out on patrol I spotted a flicker of light in my backyard.  I discovered it was our resident cat food napper, Tyson Possum.

Is Tyson Possum here?  A gruff voice comes from the back of the room.  Present and at your service!  
Ranger Spencer was appalled at such rudeness.  At our service, how dare he act so innocent.

What do you mean by that?  The whole room was in an uproar.
Quiet! Tap, tap!  Order!  Order!

Now, please explain yourself.

Tyson Possum was now standing next to the chairman's seat.

Let me properly introduce myself.  I am Agent 00P or as you call me Tyson Possum.  I am from the B.Y.W.S. home office, sent here to hasten the eviction of the Ferrell cats.

They realized that Ranger Spencer needed some assistance and since he is a house pet, no offense, and limited to gaining access to the outdoors late at night, I was called in to assist.

Ranger Spencer didn't know whether to feel relieved or offended.  But, he decided it was better to be humble and accept the help of Agent 00P.

When you saw the flicker of light I was in contact with the home office contact.  It is a family of doves that roost over on Lavina Street.

A number of humans in the area are beginning to also help out by setting up cages to trap these wily varmints.  It takes them a little while to figure out how to out smart these critter's but they finally have a system in place that we think is going to work beautifully.

Our job is to keep a headcount and send it in the home office who has a contact with the local Animal Control organization.  They have a resident cat that is our contact on the inside.

Stay on your patrols and keep in contact with Ranger Spencer and he will report to me and I'll report to the secret agent on Lavina Street.

I'll turn the meeting back over to your Ranger Spencer.  Tap, tap.  The meeting is now adjourned.  Go to your posts and report as ordered.

Wow!  Ranger Spencer now knows that he should continue to let Tyson Possum share Bubbles food.  He will encourage her to ask for more servings to keep Agent 00P well fed.
Stay tuned for the exciting report that will be coming in next week.....

We hope you have enjoyed the news from our VIP Sunshine Club and we look forward to reading your comments.  Don't forget to use the hashtags #giveaway, #cheerup and #MosGiftClub and share our post on your social media to win one of our irresistible handmade gifts next week.

Sending You Sunshine,

Marsha J.
copyright protected 2016

The Art of the Handwritten Note: How To Be A Good Friend with this Old Custom

The Art of the Handwritten Note

Original Artwork by Kayla Jaramillo copyright protected 2015
How to be a good friend with this old custom.
Technology has in my opinion ruined the art of conversation and the ability for people to write true feelings and put them in their own words.  Especially, the art of the handwritten note has been lost and coined an 'old custom'.

Let's be honest.  Technology has turned people into impatient, cranky, instant gratification and self-centered robots.  Everyone has to be right and have it their way.  Am I right?  See what I mean!

If, you were to die tomorrow what do you think your so-called friends would have to say about You?

If, your so-called friend(s) were to die tomorrow what would you have to say about Them?

• Would they say....
   She was always there

• when I needed her the most!

• She was a good listener!

• She would send me a handwritten card just when I needed cheering up!

• She could help me see the brighter side of a bad situation!

Or, would they say....

She never stopped talking.  I could never

get a word in anywhere!

It was always about her problems and her life!

She never acknowledged my needs!

She never sent me a handwritten card or letter

in the mail when I needed cheering up!

She never remembered my wedding Anniversary!

 What would you miss most about them?What would they miss most about you?
These are a few things to think about...

Now, compare these comments.  Which, one would you say was 'a good friend'?  We all have areas in life that we can improve in so that we can be a good friend.

Ask your friends what they like best about you.  Ask them where you could make improvements.  Be ready to give them the same list and be ready to make the needed changes so you can improve in your relationship with others and be a 'good friend' now and be remembered as a 'good friend' even after your gone.

Are you ready to be a 'good friend'? Send your friend a handwritten note today!  We have just the gift for both of you in our Markets of Sunshine Etsy shop.
*****************************************************
Are you ready for the Adventures of Ranger Spencer?

Our story left off with Ranger Spencer discovering who was nabbing the cat food from Bubbles dish.  It was the wily Possum we named, Tyson.
Ranger Spencer has been keeping a sharp lookout on the gang of Ferrell cats too.  While trying to figure out how to rid his backyard of these two unwanted trespassers he has made a new discovery.
A few nights back while out on patrol he saw a flash of light in the far corner of the yard under the oak tree.
He ignored it at first but there it was a second, third and fourth time.  Now, he had to take a closer look.
He took out his micro-binoculars and to his surprise it was Tyson Possum.
He quickly scanned the area and saw another flickering of light off in the distance.
What was this all about?  He would soon find out or his name wasn't Ranger Spencer!
He decided to contact the local B.Y.W.S. better known as the backyard watcher's society and start and underground investigation.
The head of each branch would attend the meeting.  Bubbles was in charge of delivering his secret messages.  A small box was attached to her collar and she would deposit one tiny rolled up piece of paper tied with grass at each drop-off point.
The society had members from birds to squirrels and everything in between.
Bubbles would sneak out at mid-night while the Ferrell cats were busy scouring the neighborhood trash cans.
The note read:
Urgent meeting!
Meet at mid-night on Sunday in the tunnel under the Palmetto bush next to the shed.
Will Ranger Spencer and the B.Y.W.S. solve this mystery?
Tune in next week and find out....
If you missed the beginning of this tall tall you can catch it here.We hope you have enjoyed the news from our VIP Sunshine Club and we look forward to reading your comments.  Don't forget to use the hashtags #giveaway and #MosGiftClub and share our post on your social media to win one of our irresistible handmade gifts next week.

Sending You Sunshine,
Marsha J.
copyright protected 2016

Customer Appreciation Drawing & Possum Naming Contest! #MosGiftClub #giveaway

Mini Book Necklace & Key Chains

New Product is being added to our Markets of Sunshine shop tomorrow.  There will be new DIY jewelry kits, tutorials and ready to ship items all from our story book line of products.

If you are a VIP Sunshine Club member you get 20% off your order with your special coupon code found in your newsletter.

Each month we hold a drawing for our customer's who order from our 3 Etsy shops and who live in the USA.  Markets of Sunshine, My Secret Compartments and Pioneer Fundraiser Etsy shops. 

We had 8 orders within the USA ....Thank you to our new customer's for supporting small business and handmade on Etsy.  The winner of our Customer Appreciation drawing is........A.R. from CT who ordered from our shop, My Secret Compartments shop on March 30, 2016.  Congrats!  
To claim your prize click the link in your email and you will be taken to your prize in our Markets of Sunshine Etsy shop.

Tyson the Possum

We had 2 entries for naming our cat food napper aka _______ the Possum.  We now have a name for the varmint...say Hello to Tyson the Possum!

Thank you to those who played along and entered the contest.  The "Adventures of Ranger Spencer and Tyson the Possum" will continue next week, so stay tuned to this blog!

We hope you have enjoyed the news from our VIP Sunshine Club and we look forward to reading your comments.  Don't forget to use the hashtags #giveaway and #MosGiftClub and share our post on your social media to win one of our irresistible handmade gifts next week.

Sending You Sunshine,

Marsha J.