SOS Challenge #87- A Choice!

Well, its Tuesday again...time for another Shopping Our Stash challenge!

This one is #87 and the challenge is: Valentine/Love/Hearts/Red- You Choose!

Lots of choices...this should be a fun challenge!

I chose RED.

I had already made a Valentine card for my only Valentine, my hubby, so I decided on a Get Well card for my sister in Wisconsin who had surgery a couple weeks ago. Now she has to do physical therapy so probably needs a bit of encouragement.

On both the outside and the inside I used doilies; the one on the front I cut and placed where it needed to fit, but on the inside I just mounted the whole thing and had it go "around the corner". The picture makes it look a little lop-sided but it really works well. Here is the list of items used for this one:

die cuts- Spellbinders Labels 20

matching stamp- JustRite "Fleur De Lis Labels 20"

"get well" stamp- Clear Dollar Stamps "Wistful Wishes"

dragonfly stamp- StampingScrappingDesign "Tab Basics 1" set

(the little heart on the inside is also SSD)

DP, and card stock are scraps from my stash 

as are the doilies, Red ribbon and Red flowers 

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

Now would be a great time to get that Valentine card made for your special someone! Why not join in the fun at Shopping Our Stash...link up your creation so we can all enjoy it! For some inspiration check out my fellow DT memebers' blogs (see sidebar) and/or the SOS blog!

Thanks for stopping by today!

Two Special Cards

First up is a baby card for my Pastor and his wife for their first baby,
a tiny girl named Anna!

I used a digital image from A Day for Daisies called "Mom Hugs"...one of my favorites!

The background paper is Fiskar/Heidi Grace Designs and it says "little sweet pea" on it...SO cute! The pink paper is embossed with the tiny hearts folder from Cuttlebug and the punched border is also Fiskar. The image is colored with Spectrum Noir markers and colored pencils. A little bit of Stickles is added to the  baby's head and shoulder.

Inside there is a Bible verse on the left and my own greeting on the right, both are computer generated.

I am entering this in two challenges: 

http://craftybootschallenges.blogspot.com - "New" (new baby girl)

http://celebratetheoccasion.blogspot.com - Challenge #96 "Baby Card"

~~~***~~~

My next card is a birthday card for my very good friend Sherry. She is also a cardmaker so I decided to do a little special stuff on this one...I knew she'd appreciate it more than some folks!

 I used stitching, a vintage sewing machine image, some victorian women in a free image I found online, vintage "swan" scissors and thread (also freebies I found online), and an image of an old-fashioned dress form from StampingScrapping.com. I also added a little lace "skirt" to the dress form. "Labels 20" Spellbinders dies were used for the sentiment and the inside greeting. The purple flowered paper is from Hobby Lobby and all the rest...from my stash. Flatback pearls are from Pizzazz Aplenty. The "Best Wishes" stamps: outside is a generic borrowed from a friend, inside is PSX.

I am entering this one in:

http://craftsandmechallenges.blogspot.com - Challenge #117 "Vintage"

http://inkychicks.blogspot.co.uk - Challenge #2 "Becky's Bingo Grid" (Die cuts, bow, pearls)

DT Announcement

Today I am just letting my followers/readers know that I have stepped down from the Daydreams Design DT. The January Blog Hop was my last participation with the group. I have many wonderful digis from their store saved on my computer so I will continue to use them on my cards but I will not be posting the usual 4 to 6 cards each month as was required of DT members. Life is busy and I just needed to simplify a bit more. It was an honor to serve on the DT with so many great ladies...so talented, kind-hearted and sweet godly women. The leader/owner/head designer, Diane, is an especially inspiring gal...both in creative endeavors and in the Christian walk.

I will continue to follow the work of the DT and check the Daydream Designs store often! They have new stuff posted almost every week! Amazing, adorable, lovely things! I hope you have time to check it out!

Here is one of the newest that I just love!

Dig Out Your Old Ribbon!

For our challenge this week at Shopping Our Stash, that is what we want you to do...dig out your old ribbon...the older the better! That is one of the things I love about SOS...it makes me use up that stuff that is just sitting there collecting dust, but really IS very useable and even lovely (well, sometimes!). The old ribbon I found is a spool of  kind of an odd color of grossgrain ribbon. Almost an ugly color. One of those muted, grayish, "subtle" colors I used to think were very "modern", "sophisticated", "trendy"...so I would buy clothing in those colors. But I looked like death warmed-over in them! "Sophisticated" death warmed-over! LOL 

The spool of ribbon was purchased at Old Time Pottery near Gulf Shores a couple years ago while vacationing there. It was in the Clearance department and looked like it had been there for years already. $.88 for 5 yards. I bought 3 spools, 3 different ugly colors. This is the first time I've used this one!

The ribbon color is more accurate in the picture below. The light blue die-cut with the leaves printed on it going up the left side of the card is another "stash" item that I've had for a few years now. It is from a whole set of 12" border die-cuts by K&Co. I really thought I'd use them more (that's why I bought 4 pkgs!) but I just don't think of them! They'd be great for scrapbooking...which I never have (MAKE) time for any more!

List of ingredients:

Ugly OLD ribbon - from my stash

border die-cut - K&Co. "SW Botanical Foil"

die-cuts - Spellbinders "Labels 20"

sentiments - "Sympathy" (borrowed from friend)

Bible verse - JustRite Clear "Cast All Your Cares"

background stamp - JustRite Cling "Elegant Fronds Background"

white card stock - my stash

print card stock - K&Co. "Julianne" Designer Mat Pad

flower & leaves - StampingScrapping "Color Me, White"

(colored with Memento, Promarker, MEPXY markers)

flatback white pearls - Pizzazz Aplenty

pearl sprays - Hobby Lobby

Glue Dots & 3M Adhesive 

I certainly hope you now feel inspired to join our "Old Ribbon" challenge this week! If you need a little MORE inspiration, check out my fellow DT's blogs (find them in my sidebar!) and/or visit the SOS blog!

As always, thanks so much for stopping by today! Please leave a comment and let me know you were here...then I can come visit your blog too!

I am also going to enter this card in a few challenges:

Word Art Wednesday - #63 "Anything Goes" (I Peter 5:7)

Sugar Creek Hollow - "Tic Tac Toe" (flowers, pearls, die cut)

Card Crafter's Circle - #58 "Layers" (I have at least 7 layers!)

Paper Pretties - PWC 241 "Ribbon"

LOOK! Daydream Designs January Blog Hop is HERE!

Hello! Yes, today begins the Daydream Designs BLOG HOP! The theme this month is "HEARTS"...so perfect to get those Valentine's cards made early. Diane and Kris have been working like crazy on new digi sets and...you guessed it!...there are several new ones that have pretty hearts in them! I had trouble deciding which hearts were my favorite. I actually never came up with just one favorite...I like them all! But this adorable set really caught my eye, something about all the little hearts flying into the jar to be saved up...its just SO cute! So here is what I came up with using this set called

 "Saving All My Love":

To make this card I started with pink card stock for the base, added "Flakes-S-Red" as a background (which is another digi paper from Daydream Designs, from the "Elegant Snowflakes" set), and also added  a little piece of heart-embossed white behind the sentiment. The sentiment and the image are both part of the "Saving All My Love" set!

Elegant Snowflakes                         Saving All My Love

Now, for the Blog Hop!

All of the other Daydream Design DT members have come up with an amazing and gorgeous variety of cards/projects

 to showcase the many wonderful heart designs now available at

www.mydaydreamdesigns.com 

So please hop along to each of the blogs listed below. 

There is a FREE digi (2 really!) available right here (and on each blog!) 

as well as a PRIZE!

Diane will be giving a $20 gift certificate to the Daydream Designs store to a random winner who comments on every blog!

Enjoy!

                                                      Diane (Owner/Designer Daydream Designs)      

Amy

Beth

Debbie

Helen

Jenn

Jerusha

Karen

Kris

MariLynn

Michelle

Miesje

                              Sandie - ME (you are here!)

Stephanie

Traci

Vicki

FREE DIGI, in 2 versions, colorized and line only:

     (SORRY,  DIGIS WERE ONLY AVAILABLE DURING THE BLOG HOP)

New & Old...from Daydream Designs!

Today I'd like to show you two different cards I made using some digital images from Daydream Designs.

The first card features a set of digis that are quite new...just recently released! Actually it is two sets that go together: "Vintage Stove" (which I colored with colored pencils) and "Art of Baking Colored Digi Set".

The stove was supposed to be red but I used the wrong kind of paper for colored pencils. So please use your imagination! The checked papers in the background are also from a DD digi set: "Rustic Ginghams". The "wooden" table is just some wood-grain DP I have scraps of.

Now, how many of you remember the OLD country song called "Hey, Good Lookin'"? We have a friend who occasionally will just break into song and sings a few bars of this for us...its hilarious because he looks like he just stepped out of the Kentucky hills...big, bushy beard and grubby clothes, with a huge grin! Another song he sings is "Whooka tooka my soda cracka". If you know THAT song you MUST let me know!

Oops! Back to the cards.

This next card features one of the Bible verses that is a favorite of one of my fellow DT members. The 3 "DT Favorites" Scripture sets came out last year but are still very popular. This is Kris Breach's fav...it is Lamentations 3:24. It is found in the "Dream Team Scripture Set 2" and is colorized already so this was a fairly easy card to put together. The butterflies are from "D.T. Scripture Set 3"...the purple one I colored with a Memento marker. The embossing folder is a Spellbinders M-Bossabilities "Framed Labels One", which I inked lightly. The 2 smaller pre-colored butterflies are raised a bit with pop dots; the ribbon is from my stash, as are the little matching rhinestones.

Scripture Set 2                       Scripture Set 3

Daydream Designs now has some brand new Valentines/Hearts/Red & Pink digis on the store site.

We are having a Blog Hop next week so you can see them then (and get FREEBIES and PRIZES)or just pop over to the website a minute and check them out right NOW!

www.mydaydreamdesigns.com 

Thanks for stopping by today! Blessings to you all!

Shopping Our Stash #85 "Suits Me to a T"

Happy Tuesday!
It is time for another challenge at Shopping Our Stash!
Challenge #85:  "Suits Me to a T"- use at least two items that start with "T"- for example: tag, tape, twine, trees, tinsel, tattered angels products, tin foil, tin cans, trim, tea bag, tea cup, tomahawk, tangerine, tigers, turtle,  etc.  Be sure to list what they are in your post!
At first I was a little stumped and could only find one or two things to use so I let my project sit overnight and when I came back the next day....voila! several other items came to mind!

Thinking of You card

"T" ingredients + other stuff:

Teal card stock- Paper Studio

Teal Prima roses

Twine- Sew Easy "Fancy Floss"*

Tea-dyed Bias Tape

Texture plate- Fiskar "Filigree"
Tim Holtz Distress Ink- "Evergreen"*
 "Tattered Sparrow" stamp- Tim Holtz*
"Thinking of You" stamp- Clear Dollar Stamps
"Tacky Glue"- Aleene's*
Flatback pearls- Pizzazz Aplenty "Lt. Coffee"
Brown Dye Ink- Vivid/Clearsnap
Sponge Daubers- Imagine Crafts*
Dot Card Stock- Imaginisce
Glue Dots*
Spellbinders Dies- "Fleur de Lis Accents"* &
"Card Creator/Fancy Ribbon Threader"* &
"Card Creator/A2 Matting Basics A/B"*
Button is from my stash
* All the starred items can be purchased at www.stampingscrapping.com 


The oldest items used are the bias tape and the button (they are both 20+ years!) but all of the other stuff has been in my stash for at least a year or two. All the smaller paper/cs pieces are from scraps I saved from other projects.
As always, I hope you are inspired to join in this challenge! Please visit our main blog and post your project there so we can see all of your "T" craft items too!


I am entering this card in a few challenges too!
Hiding in My Craft Room - #80 "Super Scrap Saturday"
Our Creative Corner- "Shabby Chic Style"
Sketchbook Saturday- #87 "Sketch by Iwona Palamountain"

Who Do You Trust?

If you are looking for the Shopping Our Stash post go down to the next post. Thanks!

So, who do YOU trust? At the Word Art Wednesday challenge blog the theme this week is TRUST. And the Bible verse they chose is Psalm 118:8 - "It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man." Excellent reminder! Today I hear many people talking about their bank accounts being their security for the future, or the social security system that will surely take care of them, or the government that will simply give everyone money, food, medicine...  These people look to our leaders and trust them to do all they say, but, sadly, many have already been disappointed. The future of America looks very difficult. So who can you trust to be faithful, honest, and loving 100% of the time?...only God. He promises to take care of His people at all times. Does that mean we will always have an easy, pleasant life? Nope. But it does mean a life with purpose, joy, peace and the comfort of knowing we are not alone in this struggle. 

God has promised, "I will never leave you or forsake you."

So I am entering this card in the challenge at Word Art Wednesday:

http://wordartwednesday.blogspot.com  

 Challenge #61- Trust/Anything Goes

The Bible verse I used on the card is this week's freebie from WAW. 

I think it is beautiful...both to the eye and to the heart!

Shopping Our Stash Challenge 84 "Buttons"

Yes, its time for another challenge at Shopping Our Stash...another FUN challenge! This one is all about BUTTONS...especially OLD buttons! Buttons that have been in your stash for a long time. I have bags and jars and tins of buttons that I have been collecting since I was a high school girl, and since I am 60 now, I'm sure some of my buttons are real antiques (like me!).

Next week my hubby turns 61 on Wednesday so I needed a b-day card for him. I'm hoping I pulled off a "guy" card even though I used buttons. I know he will understand.

This had been an unusual holiday season for us this year because he has not been feeling so great. He has vertigo...its been a month now and its just as bad as when it started. The doctor says it should "go away" within about 6 to 7 weeks.(Yikes!) So far he has tried the Epley procedure, motion sickness meds, gluten-free diet, dairy-free (almost) diet, and massage. We are scheduled to go in to an allergist on the 15th but may go back to our family Dr first. Friends have suggested going to an ENT too. He's getting kinda desperate...any suggestions?

And here is the inside of the card...with even more buttons!

Now I will list what I used to make this one. 

First for the cover:

Blue cs and striped paper are both Paper Studio

Brown, white, and aqua cs...scraps from my stash

Brown ink is Vivid/Clearsnap

HB stamp is All Night Media

Lighthouse stamp is Our Daily Bread 

The mesh is wallboard seam tape

Old buttons from my giant button stash!

Next for the inside:

Same materials, but different stamps...

"Wonderful B-day" I borrowed from a friend

Bible verse is a Verve stamp

Thanks for stopping by today! Hope you can join our challenge this week!

For more inspiration check out my talented team-mates' blogs...they are all listed in my sidebar or you can go to the SOS blog and see them all there.

Happy BUTTON-crafting!

Funny B-day Card for a Guy

Quick post this evening...just a card I made quickly yesterday for a birthday I forgot last week. But I knew I'd see the "birthday boy" at church last night so I came up with an easy idea...and just did it!

In case you can't quite see it, this is a service bell...the kind that you hit the top to make it "ding" when you want service at a counter (at a business).

The sentiment I printed on my computer using a free font I had downloaded recently called "Bibliotheque".

And, yes, I came up with this one all by myself. The guy the card is for is a year older than most of us in our group of friends so we like to rub it in a bit that he is SO old!

But I did include a Bible verse to keep it all in perspective. Growing older is really not so bad when we know we are not alone on this journey called LIFE....God is with us each step of the way.

His plan is perfect...even when we don't understand it at times.

I am entering this card in a few challenges:

http://crazychallenge.blogspot.com - CCH # 136 - Without Design Paper

http://craftybootschallenges.blogspot.com - Black and Bright

www.abcchallenges.blogspot.com - ABC11 - Clean and Simple Cards

http://pileitonchallenge.blogspot.com - PIO#1 Black & White + Another Color

Warm Wishes for a Winter Birthday

It is Tuesday again...but what a special Tuesday...the very first Day of the New Year!

Happy New Year, everyone!

We have a new challenge at Shopping Our Stash today. It is Challenge #83:

Use all white OR ivory/cream (with the exception of skin tones and hair color on "people" images, and the sentiment, of course.)

This was a really easy one for me because I love using all white and have done it many times. I knew I wanted to use plenty of texture so I first chose my ribbon and then the cardstock color to match; I chose ivory...warm and elegant!

I HAD to use embossing, so I picked the folder called "Fleur de Lis" by Cuttlebug.

Then I found a die to match, Spellbinders "Fleur de Lis Accents".

The small circle is from the "Standard Circles Lg".

The cardstock was from my stash as well as the ribbon, which I'm sure is several years old!

The ivory flatback pearls are from Pizzazz Aplenty.

The sentiment, which is a bit hard to read in my pictures but reads OK up close, is a JustRite stamp from the "Special Occasions" set. I stamped it with Tim Holtz Distress Ink in "Antique Linen".

Now, can you believe I didn't use ANY Stickles on this one?!

Please check out the inspiring creations of my fellow DT members at

http://shoppingourstash.blogspot.com

or visit their blogs as listed in my sidebar.

Then join us this week for this fun and easy challenge!

Thanks for stopping by! Praying God blesses each of my online friends in this New Year!