A Small Gesture Can Mean So Much

The events of the last few weeks here in the United States have left me feeling heartbroken and helpless.  The problems in this nation are so huge it’s easy for us to say, “I can’t do anything to change the situation.  I’m only one person.”  I felt that way too but was determined to find a way to let my voice be heard.  As a stamper, I knoe just where to turn……CARDS.  I always love to buy the Stampin’ Up charity stamp set and this years is a beauty.  The MY HERO stamp set (141957) has so many great images and can be used for many different holidays.  Stampin’ Up will donate $3 for every set sold to the Ronald McDonald House Charities, helping to keep families closer to their loved ones who are receiving medical treatment far from home. 

The image that stood out for me was the police badge.  The sentiment, YOU ARE MY HERO, printed on it really inspired me to create these cards to show my appreciation for law enforcement personnel.  Let’s face it, working as a policeman or woman in today’s society is dangerous and challenging.  Very rarely do we see the positive effects of what these individuals do every day.  The media only shows us negative stories and tries to paint with a broad brush, accusing all police officers of this type of behavior.  We all know that there are things that need to be changed but we need to take time to be grateful and appreciate what so many of them do in our communities.

When choosing colors, I thought our new Incolor DAPPER DENIM would be perfect for the card base.  It reminds me of the blue uniforms officers wear when on duty.  I then used a strip of the new INCOLOR DESIGNER SERIES PAPER (141408) measuring 2 1/4 in by 5 1/4 in, attaching it to the left side of the card front.  I then stamped the badge image of a piece of Whisper White card stock and punched it out with the coordinating punch.  The large rimmed rhinestone adhered to the badge is from the old catalog and is no longer available.  You could certainly use silver foil paper and punch out at 1/2 in. circle.  The THANK YOU sentiment is from the THANKFUL THOUGHTS stamp set (141522).  I stamped a Whisper White scrap with the sentiment in DAPPER DENIM and punched it out using the CLASSIC LABEL PUNCH (141491).  Badge and sentiment are adhered to the card front using Stampin' Up dimensionals.  I made 20 of them and plan to send them to my local police stations.  It's a small gesture but its important that the police feel support and appreciation during this challenging time in our nations history.

Do you love this card?  You can order all the products you need on my online store, located on the right side of my blog.  If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me at blreed@comcast.net.  If you are inspired to make these cards, send me a picture of yours.

Stampin' Always,

Barb Reed