• Create a Card Making Kit—Here are tips for making a fun present for a crafty friend. Ideas for card bases, die cuts, embellishments and other decorative elements to put together a thoughtful kit. | cassiecreley.com
    Blog,  Create

    Gift Idea: Create a Card Making Kit

    A card making kit is a fun gift idea that lets the recipient get creative! One of my friends recently got into making her own cards, so I wanted to send her some fun paper and decorations that she can use to easily craft her own cards.

  • Popsicle Cards Finished
    Create

    Easy Popsicle Cards

    Summer is my favorite season, and I’m quick to point out that it lasts until September 21. So there’s still plenty of time to send summery greeting cards! This design for a popsicle card is quick, easy, and so cheerful.

    I love thinking up new ways to be creative in spite of my health issues and fatigue. Cards are a great craft project that doesn’t use too much energy.

  • Ups And Downs: Summer, Chronic Illness, and a New Normal: July Linkup—Here’s what is helping me adjust to the new normal, plus an update on how I’m while dealing with health flare ups and making time for creativity. This month’s themes: Bothering, Demanding, Telecommunicating, Tolerating, and Nourishing
    Blog,  Health

    Ups And Downs: Summer, Chronic Illness, and a New Normal

    Hello friends, I’m so excited to be able to join A Chronic Voice’s link up this month. Summer is finally here, but unfortunately, that doesn’t mean a vacation from chronic illness. So I’m going to share what I’ve found helpful and how I’m coping with the new normal.

    This link up is a way for chronic illness bloggers to connect by writing posts based on the same prompts. I found it so helpful last month to use the prompts as a jumping off point to not only write a blog post, but also to do some journaling for myself to process everything going on in the world and my own life.

    This month, I’m using the prompts to share a little bit about what I’ve been up to lately creatively, what I’ve been struggling with healthwise, and how I’m continuing to adjust to the new normal.

    The prompts for this month are Bothering, Demanding, Telecommunicating, Tolerating, and Nourishing.

  • Send A Box of Sunshine + Free Card Printables | cassiecreley.com
    Free Printables

    Send A Box of Sunshine + Free Card Printables

    I’m so excited to share new sunshine printables with you, especially since you can use these printables to brighten someone’s day!

    I love the gift idea of sending someone a box of happy yellow and orange goodies and calling it “A Box of Sunshine.” I got inspired when I saw this idea on Pinterest and wanted to make my own printables to match the theme. You can download the printables for free at the end of this post. You can use them as a card or a label for your box.

    I have a friend whose nickname is Sunshine, and I wanted to send her a package of sunshine during the dark winter months (though this gift idea is perfect year-round too!) The only problem? Like me, she has food allergies. A lot of the boxes I’ve seen online contain a lot of junk food. Sure, it’s colorful, but there must be more healthy and delicious treats to include! Plus, I wanted to think up ideas that weren’t just food-related.

  • Making Cards From Scraps—Autumn and Thanksgiving Designs
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    Making Cards From Scraps—Autumn and Thanksgiving Designs

    Hey readers, I took the last few weeks off blogging as the cold weather is once again hitting me hard this year. But I found some energy to get creative, and wanted to share these ideas with you. It’s the perfect time of year to send a card and let someone know you’re thankful for them!

    I love the challenge of trying to make cards from leftover paper scraps. It’s a great way to prevent waste and get your creative juices flowing. I’ll share some tips for using leftovers below!

  • Why I’m Making Christmas Cards in January – Thoughts on enjoying crafting with chronic illness | cassiecreley.com
    Create

    Why I’m Making Christmas Cards in January

    Since Christmas, I’ve still been in a Christmasy mood. Which has been nice because it has made the season feel like it’s lasted a little longer. I was very unwell Christmas day, so this has helped. I still felt like making Christmas things, and I’ve actually had a little bit of energy this month to do so.

    It has also helped that my parents got us a Sizzix embossing/die cutting machine for Christmas, which has been so fun to play with. Plus, it’s made card making very easy. (And watching tutorials on YouTube for using fun card cutouts while I’m crashed in a recliner has been inspiring. It’s nice to feel like I’m learning something and getting creatively inspired, vs. just being stuck recuperating.)

  • Low-Cost Low-Stress Gift Giving When You’re Chronically Ill - I’ve rounded up gift guide ideas that are budget friendly and/or easy to make for your loved ones for holidays or year-round. | cassiecreley.com
    Blog,  Etc,  Health

    Low-Cost Low-Stress Gift Giving When You’re Chronically Ill

    As Christmas approaches, I wanted to share some ideas for inexpensive and low-stress gift giving. Being chronically ill often means you’re watching your budget and conserving energy, so spending a lot of time and money hunting for gifts is not a great idea. The point is to let those you love know you are thinking of them and care about them, and a simple, well-chosen gift can do that perfectly! So I’ve rounded up ideas that are low cost, or easily made without using up all your energy.

    The best way I’ve found to give meaningful gifts is to make sure I’m gifting something in someone’s love language. If you’ve never read The Five Love Languages, I highly recommend it! (I read the original, but there is a singles edition, and other versions available too.) The book breaks down the way people best receive love into five categories: Words of Affirmation, Acts of Service, Receiving Gifts, Quality Time, and Physical Touch.

    My default way to show love is through gift-giving, so in years past I’ve created a lot of stress for myself by thinking I have to find the *perfect* gift.

  • Tree and Heart Romantic Congratulations Card | cassiecreley.com
    Create

    Romantic Congratulations Cards

    Since I just had one friend get married and a cousin get engaged, I thought I’d share the congratulations cards I made for them. I hope these ideas inspire you and help you celebrate milestones with those you love!