SOS Challenge #66 "My Favorite Things"

At Shopping Our Stash this week the new challenge (#66)  is: My Favorite Things. We are asked to make a card that features our favorite things. It could be brads, pretty paper, ribbon, a certain shape, stickers, rub-ons ... anything you love to put on a card! That should be easy, right! Unless you are like me and have LOTS of favorites. I made a list  and then tried to use as many as possible in one card. Here's what I came up with, a birthday card for my daughter, Lindsey.

The hardest part was not covering up too much of the pretty DP! I changed the layout several times!

The paper flowers have been in my stash for over a year and I can't remember the brand or where I got them. You can layer the individual layers any way you want. The center tiny flower is a glittery one from Petaloo.

My list of favorites included K&Co DP (Que Sera Sera set), textured cardstock, flowers, leaves, Spellbinders dies (especially the fancy border ones!), distressing, twine, lace, ribbon, tea-dyed seam binding, pearls, Stickles, and swirly font sentiments! I did not use everything in the picture...but most of it!

I'm so sorry that my post is a couple days late this week! I went camping for a few days, but left a day earlier than planned (Tuesday) so my Monday got messed up with packing and I completely forgot!

I hope you will join us this week at SOS for our "Favorite Things" challenge! We would love to see what it is that you REALLY enjoy working with! Maybe we can inspire each other!

Oh, one more thing! Some of the people at SOS are going to start a NEW challenge blog...this one will be for anything BUT a card! So if you are looking for something like that, please stop by and  join us!  It is going to go live on Sunday, Sept. 2!
 I don't want to confuse you on this Shopping Our Stash challenge, so just click HERE to find out about the other blog!
Happy crafting, Friends!

SSiC Challenge #154

Happy Sunday, fellow stampers/scrappers!

We have a new challenge again today at Stampin' Sisters in Christ!

The challenge: Use punches, dies, or shapes of any kind.

Our Hostess: Diane

Bible Verse:

"Yet you, LORD, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter;

we are all the work of your hand."

Isaiah 64:8

Prize: a grab bag of stamps (wow!) from

Generous Sponsor: Anonymous

My thoughts: In this verse are 2 very comforting ideas. First, that God IS our loving Father and always wants and does what is best for us. Second, He is our Creator...He had a perfect plan for each of us when He created us. He does not make mistakes but has formed each of us differently, to glorify Him in a way that no one else can. This is yet an on-going process...the clay is still pliable and in the process of being shaped to perfection. But we aren't quite there yet, are we! Does God make useless, ugly things? Nope, I don't think so! His creations are beautiful and full of purpose. So comforting! To God be the glory!

For my card I used 2 dies and 1 punch. I was a "bit" confused about our sponsor this week! I looked ahead in the schedule too far and thought the sponsor was A Day for Daisies but that won't be for a month yet! So the adorable digital image is from them! I got it several weeks ago and was SO looking forward to using it, but now that I did I'm not too satisfied with my card. Still love the image but the sentiment stamp I had to go with it "perfectly" wasn't so perfect. It is an unbranded (i.e. CHEAP) stamp and the spacing of the lines of words was awful so I cut them all apart and overlapped them which of course looks rather tacky.  You can't see that in my photo, fortunately! This stamp will definitely find a new home!

Here's my list of ingrdients:

Spellbinders dies: Labels 15, Beaded Ovals

Border Punch: Doily Lace by Martha Stewart

Digital image: A Day for Daisies

colored with colored pencils

Cardstock, ribbon, pearls...all from my stash

I hope you join our challenge this week! For more inspiration check out the blogs of my DT sisters, all listed on my sidebar, or go to SSiC!

Have a wonderful week, friends!

A Simple Seaside Scene

Today I am at home instead of being up at the Ludington State Park Campground (Michigan) because I am still dealing with a nasty cold. I keep thinking "tomorrow I'll be better"...but so far that hasn't happened. Ludington is our family's very favorite place to camp! Some friends of mine went up there yesterday and had invited me to come stay with them for a few days. Maybe tomorrow....

The lighthouse stamp is of the actual lighthouse at the State Park called Big Sable Point Lighthouse. I bought the stamp a few years ago in the gift shop there. I love to use it especially for guys' cards. This one will probably end up being a birthday card for my youngest son...who will head up to Ludington next week, the day after his birthday!

Here's my list of ingredients:

Various cardstock is from my scrap box

Stamps: "Big Sable Point" by Gray Wolf Graphics Rubberstamps

Ps. 18:23 from ODBD set "Keep My Lamp Burning"

Ink: Memento

Glitter glue: Ranger Stickles "Star Dust"*

*purchased @ www.stampingscrapping.com

Challenges being entered:

http://simplylessismoore.blogspot.com - #81 "Tearing"

http://craftascene.blogspot.com - August: "Anything in the Great Outdoors"

http://craftycardmakers.blogspot.com - "Seaside"

http://Stampingscrappingchallengecentral.blogspot.com - "Stamping"

http://useyourstuff.blogspot.com - #48 "Summer Inspiration"

"Shopping Our Stash" DT Announcement!

Yikes! This is the month for special announcements for me! I am pleased, honored and excited to say that I am now also on the Design Team at Shopping Our Stash! (That's two additional DT groups I will now be working with every month!) SOS has a weekly challenge and gives "Top 3" awards each week! What attracted me to this blog the very first time was the title because my "stash" of craft supplies has become embarassingly huge and I really need to just use what I have. At SOS we are encouraged to use things that have been sitting unused in our craftrooms for some time...as well as getting organized! Everyone has items that we are "saving" either for a special project or just because we can't make ourselves throw them away yet. So let's USE them!

This week's challenge:

A Sketch Challenge!

Use any sketch you can link to. It can be an old one you never got around to doing, or a current one! Just link to it in your post.

For this first challenge at SOS that I am participating in as a DT member I was quite happy to see the challenge was to be a "sketch". I love sketches! They make card-making so much easier!

Here is the one I chose to use:

It is an older one from Splitcoaststampers. I hope the link is correct!

Now here is the card I made from this sketch:

Long list of ingredients!

Stamps: HouseMouse*

JustRite - "Elegant Fronds"*

Stamping Scrapping Designs - "Frou Frou" (tiny tag)*

& "How Ya Bean?" (inside)*

Woodware USA - "Daisy" (inside)

Cardstock/DP:  Art Impressions, Inc. - "Lavendar Ivy"

Best Occasions - "Textured"

Markers & Inks: Memento* 

Flatback pearls & rhinestones: Pizzazz Aplenty &

(Olive "Dream String" is from there too)

Embossing folder: Tim Holtz -"Dot Matrix"*

Spellbinders die: "Anglaise Lace"*

Foam adhesive squares: Stix 2 Anything*

Ribbon is from my stash

I've colored the HM images with colored pencils.

* all starred items can be purchased at www.stampingscrapping.com

The two HM stamps are "Feeling Rosy" and "Contented Mudpie".

I gave Mudpie "open" eyes this time!

I've used the HouseMouse stamps because I am also entering this in their challenge this week!

http://housemouse-challenge.blogspot.com - #126 "Double Trouble"

The iside of the card looks a bit faded because I took the picture out in the bright sunlight.

My daughter Chris asked if she could have this card to give to a friend so I left some room beneath the sentiment for her to write a personal note.

Well, I hope you have enjoyed this first SOS DT assignment as much as I have! Please stop by the SOS challnge blog or the other DT members blogs (in my sidebar) to see their creations too! Hope you are inspired to join us this week for a fun challenge!

SSiC Challenge # 153- "Use A Sentiment ONLY"

Happy Sunday to you all!

This morning I am here to tell you about the next challenge, an unusual one, that I happen to like very much!

We are being challenged to "Use a Sentiment ONLY - NO Images"!

This week our very talented hostess is Candace.

The Bible verse she chose for this challenge is Proverbs 30:5

"Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him."

Our generous sponsor is once again Our Daily Bread Designs.

They are offering a $15 gift certificate to one randomly drawn winner from all the participants! That winner will get to shop in their wonderful online store! They have many new releases that just came out for August...both stamps and dies! Beautiful stuff!

I was able to take a sneek preview of the cards our DT has come up with for this challenge and WOW! they have all done amazing things! You can see all of their cards at the Stampin' Sisters in Christ blog or you can go to the individual blogs of each DT member by clicking on their name in my sidebar. Enjoy!

I sure hope you will be inspired to join our challenge this week!

I made two cards this week. The first one is kind of CAS and the 2nd one is definitely not CAS!

"Thank You" for stopping by my blog today!

Do you think this one took a little longer to make than the 1st one?

You got that right!

The Bible verse is an ODBD stamp, part of the "Lighthouse" set.

But one thing that did make it a little easier is a new set of  dies I have called

"Card Creator"* designed by Cindy Echtinaw for Spellbinders. They are rectangles that

are proportioned to fit on A2 size cards. They are perfect for layering and are "stepped down" in size by 1/4" but there are actually 2 sets available and when combined they "step down" by 1/8" increments. I really like the precise look you get when layering them. The other dies is from the Spellbinders set called "Fleur de Lis Accents"* and "Labels 4". The background stamp I used is a JustRite stamp called "Elegant Fronds"*...a new favorite of mine!

* All starred items are from www.StampingScrapping.com, my favorite craft store!

Exciting Announcement!

Today I want to share some news with you that I am quite excited about! I am now a design team member for Daydream Designs by Diane Noble! Her brand new online store for digital images and sentiments can be found at  www.mydaydreamdesigns.com . And you can also check out Diane's blog where she introduces/features new sets of images and gives tutorials on how to use them and how to make a variety of cards. AND she sometimes posts a FREEBIE for visitors to grab! So far she has designed hundreds of images and sentiments ranging from cowboys to crayons to cute birdies and bingo cards to boots to birdhouses! A very nice selection indeed! There are also some digital background papers which have been colorized by a very talented young lady named Kris Breach (who just happens to head up the other DT I'm on: Stampin' Sisters in Christ!). Kris has colored several images also and they are available for purchase along with the digital sets in Diane's store.

I fell in love with the adorable little birds so those were the very first images I had to use!

Another favorite is the cute bumblebee with the matching sentiment that is designed to go "up & down" like a bumblebee's path! It is un-BEE-lievably cute!

The DT that has been assembled by Diane is an amazing group of creative gals, many whose names you may recognize from the SSiC DT. Here is the whole list:

Amy Johnson —Amy’s Creative Pursuits  http://www.amyscreativepursuits.blogspot.com

Beth Ullman—Nana’s Memories and More  http://www.beth714.blogspot.com

Debbie Foster—Debbie’s Dash of This and That  http://www.debbiesdashofthisandthat.blogspot.com

Diane Noble—Diane’s Daydream Designs (changing blog look/title soon but address will be the same for now)  http://www.dianesdesigns.blogspot.com

Helen Phelps—Creative Jeans  http://www.stampinwithelen.blogspot.com

Jennipher Lowery—Paper Expressions  http://www.jennipherlowery.com

Jerusha Borden— I {heart} papercrafting  http://www.ilovepapercrafting.blogspot.com

Kris Breach (Colorist/Paper Illustrator)—Ink Something 2  http://www.inksomething2.blogspot.com

Kristie Wilson—Scrap, Color, Read & Repeat  http://www.kreativekristie.blogspot.com

MariLynn DeGroot—Mississippi McGyver  http://www.mississippi-mcgyver.blogspot.com

Marlou McAlees—Scrapping with Love  http://www.scrappingwithlove.blogspot.com

Miesje Flach--Craft Room with a View http://www.miesdf.blogspot.com

Michelle—My Papered Cottage  http://www.mypaperedcottage.blogspot.com

Peggysue—Roses by My Window  http://www.rosesbymywindow.blogspot.com

Sandie—Sandie’s Card Garden  http://www.sjlcardgarden.blogspot.com

Traci Major--Major Moments http://www.tracimajor.blogspot.com/

Vicki—Pink Posh Cards  http://www.pinkposhcards.com/blog/

 I will be placing this list of names in my sidebar, hopefully yet today!

SSiC Challenge #152 "Home"

Good Sunday Morning, to you all! May you all have a blessed day, worshipping our God!

Today's challenge at Stampin' Sisters in Christ is to create something that shows

"Something that means HOME to you".

Our talented hostess this week is Traci!

Our generous sponsor, who is offering a $10 store voucher, is DRS Designs!

Check out their wonderful store at www.drsdesigns.com !

The Bible passage Traci chose is John 14:1-6

"Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am , there you may be also. And you know the way where I am going."

I really like Traci's theme this week...what really means HOME to us. I thought about it several different times and always came up with the same thing: Heaven is my home! I'm just passing through this world and look forward to my permanent residence in Heaven! But "Heaven" is hard to illustrate! So I used my 2nd choice: Home means family to me.

I made a little postcard using an old family photo. Its not one of my favorite photos because one of my daughters is missing...she was already married. So I think the year it was taken was 1998.

The little kitty charm was added because the whole time my kids grew up we had a cat named Tiger. We got him as a kitten when my youngest was less than 2 and Tiger moved 4 times with us and finally died at the ripe old age of 19. Lots of family snapshots include that old cat!

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

Hope you can join our challenge this week at SSiC and let us see what means HOME to you!

Back-to-school with Edwin!

I have finally taken the time to make a card for some of the challenges I have been neglecting during this busy, busy summer! I've made a Magnolia card that I can enter in 3 different challenges:

http://thedutchmagnoliachickies.blogspot.com - #27 "Create a Card in Another Form/Shape"

http://dutchmagnolialovers.blogspot.com - #37 "Anything Goes - Back from Holiday"

http://magnoliastamplovers.blogspot.com - "Edwin Only"

Edwin is headed back to school...his holiday is done!

The odd shaped card is a gate-fold, turned on its side.

Edwin with his pencil, books and apple are all colored with a combination of Spectrum Noir markers*, Letraset ProMarkers and colored pencils.

The polka dot DP is Imaginesce* and the embossing folder I used on the tan cardstock is "Gridlock" by Tim Holtz*. The rest of the cardstock is from my stash. The "Back To School" I wrote myself because I don't have a stamp that says that! Hundreds of stamps but not one that says that! LOL

*the starred items I purchased at www.StampingScrapping.com

On the inside I made a little pocket to put a gift card in. I plan to send this to my grandson Clayton who will be going back to school in about 3 weeks. I am going to buy a gift card at our local ice cream shop for him and tuck it in the pocket before I send it. Sort of a mini "back-to-school" celebration!

And I always try to include a Bible verse for some extra encouragement! This one is Matt. 19:26 -

"With God, all things are possible." The stamp is one by Stampabilities.

The inside is a bit too plain now that I see it in a photo, so I may have to add a little frog or something!

Thanks for stopping by! Have a wonderful weekend! 

A Monochromatic Wedding Card

Yikes! Did I go overboard or what!?! This card is SO full of "pretties" that is has become a little confusing, if you ask me. But you, of course, are entitled to an entirely different opinion.

We have a wedding to go to this weekend and I will be so glad to give this card away so I don't have to keep looking at it, thinking, "Why did I do that?!"

Well, I really do have a few reasons why I made this particular card. First, I do need a wedding card. Second, I had this whole pack of gorgeous white and silver borders that I bought a year ago and never used for anything yet. So I had to try them finally! Third, the challenge this week at Shopping Our Stash is a "Mononchromatic Card" and I like to make those so... I did! Also, about Shopping Our Stash...I am a new DT member there!! Isn't that amazing! So I really did want to make a special card for this challenge, even though I am only submitting it as a regular participant. No assignments yet on the DT for me and the other new girls.

The front of the card is quite a conglomeration of elements. The silver background is actually a page form a brochure I got where I used to work. One side of the page was made to look like stainless steel so when they were destined for the trash I scavenged a few. I embossed it with a Sizzix folder: "Snow Flowers".

The paper flowers are from a set by K&Company called "The Kiss". The white and silver borders are also from K&Company, called "Elegance".

The only die cuts on the front are the leaves, from the Spellbinders "Foliage" set. I added Stickles "Star Dust" to the swirls, leaves and around the sentiment. The sentiment is a stamp from Bildmalarna, and I heated embossed it in silver...what else?!

I also used a punch: the Martha Stewart "Chrysanthemum" to add a silver layer to one of the flowers.

The tiny silk flowers, the pearl sprays and the flat pearls are from my wonderful stash!

On the inside I used more dies: Spellbinders "Pendants-Fleur de Lis" & "Labels 15".

More white and silver borders from the K&Company set and a background silver-printed vellum sheet that I had salvaged from an old wedding invitation! What is really amazing is there is NO ribbon on this card! I've never made a wedding card without it before!

So, I am entering this in the current challenge at

http://shoppingourstash.blogspot.com - #63 "Monochromatic" (silver)

More info about the Shopping Our Stash DT coming soon! SO exciting! 

New Challenge at SSiC...My Turn!

Hello friends! Yes, this week it is my turn to host the challenge at Stampin' Sisters in Christ!

For the theme this time I chose two things: "Something Baby" or "Use ALL Pastels"

Our very generous sponsor for this challenge is: DeNami Design who is offering to one blessed winner a $30 Gift Certificate to their online store! They have adorable stamps!!

The Bible verses that inspired this challenge are:

I Peter 2:2&3 “...as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.”

I decided to use both challenge ideas for my card:

It is also, of course, my turn to write a short devotional about these verses. The following is what you will find posted at the main blog, Stampin' Sisters in Christ.

In these verses from God’s Word, the Apostle Peter is giving instruction to the young churches that have been scattered by persecution…and to all believers of all time! The verse just before these two states, “Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, all hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking…” in other words, “Put off the old man with his {wicked} deeds” (Col. 3:9). The new believers are reminded that they are now new creatures, given a new life, a new identity and a new purpose: to live for Christ, not for self.  They (and we!!) have been regenerated by the Living Word of God; once reborn, we must begin living as the new creatures we are! How?? By feeding on “the pure milk of the word”…just like newborn babies yearn for nourishment, even crying out for it and demanding it…we too are to eagerly seek after spiritual “milk”, realizing that without the life-giving nourishment that comes from God alone our faith will surely fade, become unhealthy and eventually die. Jesus said that He is the Bread of Life; we are told to “eat” His word, consume it, make it part of us.  Spend time in God’s word, meditate on it, learn it, apply it.

The third verse is kind of like a rhetorical question: Have you not indeed tasted that the Lord is gracious? Of course, each of His followers can answer ‘Yes” emphatically! I love the imagery of “tasting” or “eating” the Bread of Life….so satisfying, filling, nourishing!

One last thought, the apostle Paul says “Be not children in mind, but in malice.” 1 Cor. 14:20, which follows perfectly the instruction presented by Peter. We are to leave behind malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, etc. and seek spiritual food. But we don’t want to stay infants in our knowledge, doctrine, and faith! We want to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ”! 2 Peter 3:18.

That is my prayer for each of you!

 

Just a few details about what went into my card:

The large pink ribbon I have had for ages and always wanted to try a large bow on one of my cards. I love it when other people have them on their cards but when I do it, it seems a bit overwhelming. Oh well.

Dies used: Spellbinders- "Anglaise Lace Circles"*, "Labels 15"*

Punched Border used: Martha Stewart- "Doily Lace"

Stamps used: Clear Dollar Stamps- "Little Lamb",  "Wistful Wishes"

Bling used: Pizzazz Aplenty- 4mm White Flatback Pearls

(the pink & white lace is a new item coming soon at StampingScrapping.com called Washi "Lace")*

* Items purchased at www.stampingscrapping.com

I hope you will join us this week for our "Something Baby or ALL Pastels" challenge at SSiC!

For even more inspiration please stop by my SSiC sisters' blogs...each of them is listed in my sidebar and each one has a work of art to inspire you and often words of encouragement too!

Have a blessed week, my friends!