Different Birthday Balloons

This b-day card is for my son-in-law David who is having a birthday this Saturday. Most of the items used to make this one are things from my stash. The 2 stamps, the balloon and the sentiment, are just "dollar" stamps I picked up at Michael's. But I really like the hot air balloon, especially for a guy's card. The unusual color combination is for a challenge I am entering this one in: http://ourcreativecorner6.blogspot.com/ -

"Color Combo- Orange, Blue, Whites and a Bit of Brown"

I am also participating in 2 other challenges:

http://craftycardmakers.blogspot.com/ - #68 "Birthday Balloon Bonanza"

http://dutchcardlovers.blogspot.com/ - #139 "Sketch by Angele"

Sketch 139 - DCL

WordArt Wednesday Challenge

Tonight I am posting a Bible-verse card for the challenge at WordArt Wednesday...getting it in just "under the wire"! The challenge closes in less than 2 hours! This week the free Bible verse "wordart" is II Timothy 1:7 which is another wonderful verse (!) so I used it on my card. It is too late at night to list the "ingredients" I used but I'd be glad to answer any questions about this card.

If you'd like to see some of the other cards entered in this challenge as well as the lovely samples made by their design team, please stop over at http://wordartwednesday.blogspot.com/ and check out "Challenge #28- 2 Timothy 1:7"

SSiC Many-Layered Card

Hello again, Friends!

This weeks challenge at Stampin' Sisters in Christ is to use multiple layers, build up your layers..."stack" 'em up! I counted and I think I have at least nine layers! This card took me quite a while to make...and I really had to think it through before I did it. I raised up some of the layers on Pop-dots or foam squares so it really has more demension than some of my cards. The top layer is about 1/2 inch off the base paper.

Our hostess this week is Traci and the scripture verse she chose was Ephesians 4:29.

"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."

What a great reminder for all of us to be careful about what we say. Our speech is to express what is in our hearts. Our desire should be to edify others, not harm or tear down or offend. We should especially not want to offend our Lord with foul talk or slander or lies. Instead, our goal should be to build others up!

Just imagine if we all did that all the time! The body of Christ would be strengthened and God would be glorified! Thanks, Traci, for the reminder and inspiration!

(Partial) List of ingredients:

Spellbinders dies: Big Scalloped Circles Large*, Anglaise Lace Circles*

Flowers: small, SSD*; large, handmade by Karen Stark

DP: The Paper Studio, Cryogen*, and "stash"

Flatback pearls: Pizzazz Aplenty, ivory 5mm

Stamps: Tilda- Magnolia "Won't You Be My Valentine"*, fence- StampCraft,

butterfly- SSD*, "Tab Basics 1" set*

(all are colored with colored pencils)

Edge distressing with Tim Holtz blender tool*

All of the *'d items I got at www.StampingScrapping.com

And here are the other challenges I am entering this card in:

http://dutchmagnolialovers.blogspot.com/ - #32 "Purple, Green, Orange/Yellow, or Brown and a Butterfly"

http://shoppingourstash.blogspot.com/ - #52 "Bingo Challenge"

(I chose bling, pearls, orange, butterfly, star...the leaves)

http://mojomonday.blogspot.com/ - #241 "Sketch"

Well, thanks so much for stopping by! Hope you have a lovely Sunday! God bless you all!

Hello Stephanie! In Person!!

For those of you familiar with http://www.stampingscrapping.com/ online craft store, and Kevin & Cindy Echtinaw, its owners, you may also have heard of Stephanie Hester who is Cindy's design team coordinator for http://stampingscrappingchallengecentral.blogspot.com/ . I have chatted online a bit with Stephanie and we often leave comments on each others' creations but I had never really met her...until yesterday! She is "up" here (from Missouri) visiting Kevin & Cindy for a few days. They stopped at my house to pick up Kevin's birthday card and gift (the usual...fudge) so I could meet Stephanie! What fun to actually meet in person! What a sweet lady! Cindy insisted on a picture AND that I post it. So here it is, but I must admit, every time I see a picture of ME lately, my first thought is, "Who IS that old woman?"  Oh well. I'm healthy, happy and blessed far beyond what I deserve!



Me, Cindy, Steph        "Welcome to Michigan, Stephanie!"

And as long as I'm posting here is Kevin's B-day card too. Cindy had emailed old pictures of Kevin to her group about a month ago letting everyone know this was his 50th b-day. I knew I wanted to use some of them on a card for him...so I did!



(inside)



Doodle Pantry Digis

Hello Friends! Today my post is featuring my DT card made for the Stampin' Sisters in Christ challenge blog. This week the challenge (#139) is: use an animal, bird or bug in your design!

The sponsor is Doodle Pantry who is offering three free digital images as the prize. They have adorable images as well as beautiful (and cute!) sentiments! I chose the ants because...well, I just couldn't resist! There is even an image of a whole marching ant band! You can check them out at http://doodlepantry.com/ . 

But please stop by the SSiC blog to see more sample from my design teammates at http://stampinsistersinchrist.blogspot.com/ too!!

"Two of every kind of bird, of every kind of animal and of every kind of creature that

moves along the ground will come to you to be kept alive."  Genesis 6:20

Our hostess for this challenge is Peggysue and she chose the verse from Genesis which is part of the account of the building of Noah's Ark. I peeked at the other cards that the DT has made and there is a wonderful variety!

I don't have much of a list of ingredients this time! Almost everything is just "from my stash" except the digital images from Doodle Pantry and the little black flatback rhinestones which are from Pizzazz Aplenty.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Happy Mother's Day to all of you wonderful MOMS out there!

A Card of Encouragement

Today I am posting another card for a man, this time a "Thinking of You" card for a gentleman that was just diagnosed with cancer. I didn't want to just send a glib "Get Well Soon" because this will be a long battle and I wanted him to know that we will be praying along with his family all the way through. But more importantly, that God will be with him every step of the way.

Here is my list of items used to make this card:

"Thinking of You" & "trees" stamps - Stampin' Up

Fancy frame/label stamp - Stamping Scrapping Design "Holidays"*

Inks: Brown - Vivid, Green - Memento*

Die cut - Spellbinders "Pendants, Fleur de Lis"*

White cardstock is Cryogen* colored DP, from my stash

Ranger Stickles, "Star Dust"*

Olive Green Rhinestones - Pizzazz Aplenty

* All of the starred items can be found at www.stampingscrapping.com

The sentiment and Bible verse on the inside are computer generated.

I like to try to put a tiny bit of matching bling on the inside of the card too, just so it doesn't make the card too thick. I have found that if the card is just a little thicker than normal and I write

"Hand Cancel" on it, the Post Office only charges me an extra 20 cents to mail it. But if it is also heavier than normal that is another extra fee. But after all the work I put into these I feel its worth it!

This card I am also entering in 2 challenges:

http://craftycardmakers.blogspot.com/ - #67 "A Male Themed Card"

http://stampingscrappingchallengecentral.blogspot.com/ - "Something Masculine"

A Get Well Card for a Man

Today I had a little time to spend in my craft room so I made this card for an older man in my church that has had some health issues and is recovering very, very slowly. I wanted to create a card suitable for a man using kraft, yellow and white. It’s a real challenge for me to not put frills, lace and flowers on a card. But I think this works! What do YOU think?

The ingredients:

Kraft and solid yellow cardstock – from my stash

Yellow print cardstock – DCWV “Indian Summer”

Dies – Spellbinders, Standard Circles Lg*

Stamps – “Get Well”, Stampabilities

            ‘Thinking of you’ & decorative circle etc., “Lacey Circles”*

                        by Stamping Scrapping Designs

            (inside) sentiment, Annette Watkins

                        and Bible verse, My Heart Stamps for You

Glass drops – Twinkle Jewels, Stamping Scrapping Design*

I also used my Tim Holtz blending tool and some kraft color ink to edge several pieces.

 *'d items are from my favorite craft supply store: www.stampingscrapping.com

The 2 challenges being entered are:

http://dutchcardlovers.blogspot.com/ - #137 “Sketch”

http://ourcreativecorner6.blogspot.com/ – “Kraft, Yellow & White”



Thanks so much for stopping by! Hope you are having a wonderful week!

May God bless you!

My First DT Card for SSiC!

Today I am posting my very first card as a Designer for Stampin’ Sisters in Christ!! The Design Team has 12 ladies on it…6 of us are “newbies”…and it is a great group of godly gals! (hmmmm…”Godly Gals”…a new nickname?) Anyway, I consider it quite an honor to be selected to be on this DT. I hope I can inspire others to participate in our challenges!

So here is my first official DT card:

The theme that Miesje, our hostess this week, chose for this challenge is to use something real or natural, such as sand, burlap, twine, twigs, shells, etc. and the Bible text that inspired this challenge is I John 2:4-6.

Please check out the challenge yourself at http://stampinsistersinchrist.blogspot.com/ and join us!

You can also visit the blogs of all my new "sisters"! Just click on their names in my sidebar!

The ingredients for my card are as follows:

Solid cardstock is from my stash

Print cardstock is from FlairDesignsInc.com – “Hearts on Fire”

Sentiment is a digital stamp from Doodle Pantry

Die cuts are Spellbinders – “Fleur de Lis Accents” & “Labels 15” & “Labels 4”

Flatback pearls are Pizzazz Aplenty – “4mm Chocolate”

Dried flowers are from my stash (I dry lots of different flowers to see which ones hold their color the best and “look” nice when dried!)

Thanks so much for stopping by today! Please let me know what you think of this, my first DT card! (Can you tell I’m excited?!)