Patriotic Swag

I’m getting more comfortable designing pieces to cut with my Silhouette Portrait. However, when an expert designer offers a free cut file -- well, who am I to turn that down? Birds Cards is a wonderful site! So much good information & how-to-do-its for newbies like me…
So, I “borrowed” Bird’s box:I cut some stars:
I cut some stripes:
I added some velum:
I added some battery tea lights:
I added a little ribbon:
Oh my!

twinkle lanterns

We Remember

I have memories of a brave man who left for Iraq in September 2006.

Waiting for him was his darling wife and five beautiful children. Complete devastation occured after that knock on the door changed her blue star to gold. Our hero died protecting American ground troops under fire.

Tell me, does a building here, another there; an overpass, or a church's welcome center named in his honor... do they provide comfort for a widow & the fatherless? What about posthumous medals such as the Purple Heart or the Distinguished Flying Cross with Valor... Can his mother have her grief alleviated by holding the neatly folded flag which draped the casket?

Unfortunately, this story is played out many times every day. Why do we have but one day a year to memorialize the sacrifices of many?

We are only free because of the brave! I'm so grateful for every man, woman (& sometimes child) who fought for our great country. From our Revolution which freed us from England, to today's attempts to rid our citizens from the effects of terrorism -- Thank you, thank you for serving. Thank you for that "last full measure" you gave for me, for my family, for our future...