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Sunday, July 25, 2010

Stampin' Sisters in Christ challenge 49 . . . let your light shine

For the Papertrey Ink July blog hop post, please scroll down one.


Happy Sunday stampers! It is time for another challenge from Stampin' Sisters in Christ. I am this week's hostess and although you can read my chosen verse and challenge here in my blog, you simply have to go check out the samples from the rest of the design team. They will take your breath away.

This is my chosen verse for the week:
Luke 8:16 "No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light."

The big question with this verse is what is the nature of that light? Is that light ourselves? Our personality, our wit, cleverness, or persuasiveness; even when believe we're using those talents to advance the gospel message? I'll give you the answer. No, we're not shining the light of ourselves.

In Jesus' time and for many centuries thereafter, people had to use flint in order to light a fire. Their lamps weren't electric, the light on the end of the lampstand was a flame.

They didn't carry a book of matches with them or a Bic lighter. My husband has tried to teach me how to use a flint and steel and even with dryer lint it takes me about twenty tries to light a fire. He can do it in three.

Flint requires friction to create a spark. It requires something dead—dried leaves, withered grass—in order to ignite. I don't know about your Christian walk but I know that the times of greatest growth for me and at the same time the most humbling are when God introduces friction into my life to teach me that it isn't about me; that I have to die to self and surrender to Him. Note that phrase as well, 'dying to self.' When we die to ourselves, when we surrender, then that light on the lampstand is God's light burning.

That's how we will lead people to Christ, the true light of the world. That's how we can shine the light of the gospel. Jesus Christ is the light on that lampstand and when we allow that light to consume us, so there is nothing left of ourselves—our misguided pride, our sense of self-sufficiency—then people will be attracted to the true, pure gospel message and find their salvation.

My challenge this week is to create a votive holder. Again the design team has outdone themselves with their beautiful samples. If you choose not to make a votive then use a light in your image, a candle a lamp, something that burns or gives light in a card or other project.

I used a digital image from this week's sponsor, Karen's Doodles found at http://www.karensdoodles.blogspot.com. I chose the cross image and was able to size it on my computer and print it out on vellum. Then I colored it in with a combination of prismacolor pencils, twinkling H2os . . .I used nutmeg and a blue one. . . then used a gold gel pen to outline portions of the image and the burst around the dove. Hope you get a chance to play along with us this week.

Papertrey Ink July Blog Hop 2o1o





Time for the July Papertrey Ink blog hop! This month's challenge was to use office supplies.

I am showing a gift set for my third oldest child . . . my baby is going to college this Fall. I am going to miss her! There are marvelous instructions to make an accordion card holder on SCS, so there is my mini file folder. I used a jumbo paperclip to make a bookmark and the third piece is a little post it holder. The silver cording is elastic, to hold it all together. I don't know if you can see it, but I embossed in irridescent ice images from the Life set on vellum for its cover. Thanks for looking, happy hopping!

I also made this set for the latest Papertrey Peeps inspiration challenge. And it involved purple which is always a challenge for me to use but I had fun with it.

Stamps: Giga Guidelines, Life, Anniversary set, Stationery Set, one of the alphabets
Ink: Plum Pudding, Lavendar, black craft
Paper: Plum Pudding, Lavendar, ocean tides, cream, bazill, Fresh Market DP
Other: Lavendar buttons, scallop nestabilities, plum pudding button, plum pudding ribbon
ETA: jumbo paper clips found at Staples

Sunday, July 18, 2010

Stampin' Sisters in Christ Challenge 48 . . . by design


Happy Sunday stampers! Its time for another challenge from Stampin' Sisters in Christ and this week's lovely and super talented hostess is Grace, who selected this verse, Psalm 127:1a "Unless the Lord build the house, they labor in vain who build it."

And her challenge this week is for you to use an image of something that is "built" using a set of plans ... a house, church, school, automobiles, even a bird house...anything that would be built according to a set of plans.

You can see the rest of the design team's wonderful creations on our home page and read more about our sponsor this week, Wink, Wink Ink, you can find their web site here http://www.e-junkie.com/winkwinkink.

I chose to show a quilt under construction. That's usually the state of being of any quilts I have attempted--under construction--I've actually only finished one in my life! Quilts are certainly designed according to a set of plans or design and quilts are one of those beautiful handmade items that can make a home warm and cheerful.

I know Grace is going to have some great thoughts about her chosen verse, here are mine. No matter how many lovely quilts you might have, what sort of interior decorating, the size or type of the home, unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it. That means to me the verse isn't talking about a physical structure, but the heart of the home. What sort of foundation is your home built upon?

When my son came home from college, before he set out to work at church camp this summer, he brought home a stack of black and white classic films from the library. One was Citizen Kane. The character in the movie built an enormous empire, palatial homes, had every type of possession a person could materially desire, but died alone, misunderstood, sad and miserable. Contrast that with King David, who started out a humble shepherd and ended up king of Israel. When you read his life story, there is a lot of drama, a lot of sad times for David. But he built his life, his foundation, upon following the Lord, upon his love for God. And the bible tells us that David was a man after God's own heart.

Wow! That statement is overwhelming in a sense. Who wouldn't want that said of them?

Building your 'house,' your life, according to God's principles doesn't guarantee happiness in an earthly sense, but it does provide you with inner peace and the assurance that when the Lord is in charge, it will all turn out right in the end.

This card also fits the current Papertrey Peeps challenge #11 to force yourself outside of your comfort zone. I love the color yellow, it is so cheerful but I struggle to use it well. I also almost never use Ocean Tides, (pssst! don't tell anyone but I think its rather ugly . . . so I combined them! Sooooo not in my comfort zone, but I think it turned out all right. I followed the past Mojo Monday sketch 147 and it was a great way to use the PTI quilt blocks. Thanks for looking. Hope you can play along this week with Stampin' Sisters in Christ.

Stamps: PTI Quilter's Sampler
Ink: black, yoyo yellow for sponging
Paper: Cosmo cricket DeLovely, ocean tides, spring moss, hawaiian shores, white
Other: 3/4 inch punch, ocean tides dotted ribbon, petite scalloped nestability circles, white brads, fiskars corner embossing punch

Friday, July 16, 2010

Mark's Finest Papers July Release: Apples and Camellia

Mark's Finest Papers' Design Teams are celebrating our NEWEST STAMP RELEASE with a Blog Hop. Our very talented Design Teams have created exciting paper crafts for your inspiration. With the addition of New Design Team members, this is going to be a really fun-packed Hop! Sit back, and hold on to your mouse! This is going to be a FABULOUS ride! Come Hop along with us!

We have 4 New Stamp Sets Released today: Background Fun, Southwest Cowboy, Flourishes & Frame, and Apples & Camellia. For your convenience, all 4 stamp sets are available for purchase TODAY!

For your chance to win BLOG CANDY, (a set that will be released NEXT month), visit and comment on each of the following design team members' blogs on July 13, 14, 15, and 16, 20101, 2010. On Saturday, (July 17, 2010), a winner will be chosen FOR EACH DAY from those participants who visited all the blogs listed for that day. (There will be four different winners, one winner for each day.)

SO THAT MEANS IF YOU MISSED A DAY, YOU STILL HAVE OTHER CHANCES WIN! And, you can go back and comment, as the winners will be chosen Saturday morning!

For both cards I focused on the white camellia, as I used the apple earlier in the hop. I like the elegance but also the friendly nature of that flower. For the first card I used light gray copics and a bit of yellow in the center with some matching DP and nice, wide ribbon from Mark's Finest Papers to accent the flower.

For this next one I was going for a folksy/elegant look if you can achieve that, which is why I mixed the gingham paper with the woven basket background on the linen backdrop. The sentiment is from the Background Fun set but the focus is on the camellia, accented with two shades of ink, watercolored on with an aquapainter. Thanks for looking.


This is the complete hop order, if you go all the way to the end, you will find yourself at Mark's Finest Papers store front. Happy hopping!

July Guest Designer- Melisa Waldorf
Nancyruth
Lois
Vicky
Jeanne
Anne
Debbie
Peggysue<-----This is me!
Faith
Vicki
Susan
Judi
Patty
Karen
Connie
Roxie
Liz
Claudine
Mark’s Finest Papers

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Mark"s Finest Papers Release: Flourishes & Frame

Mark's Finest Papers' Design Teams are celebrating our NEWEST STAMP RELEASE with a Blog Hop. Our very talented Design Teams have created exciting paper crafts for your inspiration. With the addition of New Design Team members, this is going to be a really fun-packed Hop! Sit back, and hold on to your mouse! This is going to be a FABULOUS ride! Come Hop along with us!

We have 4 New Stamp Sets Released today: Background Fun, Southwest Cowboy, Flourishes & Frame, and Apples & Camellia. For your convenience, all 4 stamp sets are available for purchase TODAY!

For your chance to win BLOG CANDY, (a set that will be released NEXT month), visit and comment on each of the following design team members' blogs on July 13, 14, 15, and 16, 20101, 2010. On Saturday, (July 17, 2010), a winner will be chosen FOR EACH DAY from those participants who visited all the blogs listed for that day. ( There will be four different winners, one winner for each day.)

SO THAT MEANS IF YOU MISSED A DAY, YOU STILL HAVE OTHER CHANCES WIN! And, you can go back and comment, as the winners will be chosen Saturday morning!

Today's featured set is Flourishes and Frame and I've been using this set a lot. I love a good flourish and this one is as fancy as the heart could wish.

I needed a wedding card and decided to offset the frame a bit stamping and embossing white on white. I've lost my fine white embossing powder and had to use clear instead, which made the image a bit lighter than I would like, but I hope you can see it. Then you can overstamp another image because the embossing resists it. To finish off the card there is just a slight border of pink at the top and a bit of embossing in the lower corners.


For this next one, I am a big fan of pink with cream and this stamp again seemed a natural for a bit of a graceful look. My good friend Joanne gave me a package of pretty pink flowers over a year ago, would you believe this is the first time they've matched up enough to use one? Notice the frame is centered but the sentiment is not, this gives you room to add an embellishment.


This is my oldest daughter's favorite card, she likes the brighter colors. Again, I bought these primas ages ago and they've never suited a card before, but seemed to match the bounce and spirit of the DP. Thanks for looking.


Here is the complete hop order, if you follow along to the very end, the last link will take you to Mark's Finest Papers store front. Happy hopping!

July Guest Designer- Melisa Waldorf
Nancyruth
Lois
Vicky
Jeanne
Anne
Debbie
Peggysue<------This is me!
Faith
Susan
Judi
Patty
Karen
Connie
Roxie
Vicki
Joanne
Dawn
Claudine
Liz
Mark’s Finest Papers

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Mark's Finest Papers July Release: Southwest Cowboy

Mark's Finest Papers' Design Teams are celebrating our NEWEST STAMP RELEASE with a Blog Hop. Our very talented Design Teams have created exciting paper crafts for your inspiration. With the addition of New Design Team members, this is going to be a really fun-packed Hop! Sit back, and hold on to your mouse! This is going to be a FABULOUS ride! Come Hop along with us!

We have 4 New Stamp Sets Released today: Background Fun, Southwest Cowboy, Flourishes & Frame, and Apples & Camellia. For your convenience, all 4 stamp sets are available for purchase TODAY!

For your chance to win BLOG CANDY, (a set that will be released NEXT month), visit and comment on each of the following design team members' blogs on July 13, 14, 15, and 16, 20101, 2010. On Saturday, (July 17, 2010), a winner will be chosen FOR EACH DAY from those participants who visited all the blogs listed for that day. ( There will be four different winners, one winner for each day.)

SO THAT MEANS IF YOU MISSED A DAY, YOU STILL HAVE OTHER CHANCES WIN! And, you can go back and comment, as the winners will be chosen Saturday morning!

Today's featured set is Southwest Cowboy. Now before I sat down to use it I wasn't sure about it, I don't have great luck with guy cards. But I absolutely think this is going to be one of my favorites. The images are really versatile and make it easy to create a card.

For the first one I decided to go with a long version of a card to fit into a business sized envelope. The accent stamps, like the little line of cactus, make a great border.


I loved the colors on the rocks we've seen when I've traveled west with the kids; I have a poster from Zion National Park hanging in my family room and the colors are soooo bright! I thought polished stone could help highlight some of that dramatic beauty you find only in the west. The chiffon flower this time has no stickles on its edges, just seemed to fit the card a bit better.


Here is the blog hop order. Have fun and happy hopping!

July Guest Designer- Melisa Waldorf
Nancyruth
Lois
Vicky
Jeanne
Anne
Debbie
Peggysue- That's me!
Faith
Susan
Judi
Patty
Karen
Connie
Roxie
Vicki
Joanne
Julia
Claudine
Mark’s Finest Papers

Deets:

Long card
Stamps: Mark's Finest Papers Southwest Cowboy
Ink: black craft, versamark
Paper: kraft, ocean tides, cream, black
Other: nestabilities, border punch, clear EP

Blazing west
Stamps: Mark's Finest Papers Southwest Cowboy, Flourishes and Frame
Ink: reinkers in razzleberry, melon mambo, dusty durango, black craft ink, gold craft ink pad
Paper: glossy white, kraft, orange
OTher: rubbing alcohol, cotton balls, chiffon, buttons, cuttlebug folder

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Mark's Finest Papers July Release: Background Fun

Mark's Finest Papers' Design Teams are celebrating our NEWEST STAMP RELEASE with a Blog Hop. Our very talented Design Teams have created exciting paper crafts for your inspiration. With the addition of New Design Team members, this is going to be a really fun-packed Hop! Sit back, and hold on to your mouse! This is going to be a FABULOUS ride! Come Hop along with us!

We have 4 New Stamp Sets Released today: Background Fun, Southwest Cowboy, Flourishes & Frame, and Apples & Camellia. For your convenience, all 4 stamp sets are available for purchase TODAY!

For your chance to win BLOG CANDY, (a set that will be released NEXT month), visit and comment on each of the following design team members' blogs on July 13, 14, 15, and 16, 20101, 2010. On Saturday, (July 17, 2010), a winner will be chosen FOR EACH DAY from those participants who visited all the blogs listed for that day. (There will be four different winners, one winner for each day.)

SO THAT MEANS IF YOU MISSED A DAY, YOU STILL HAVE OTHER CHANCES WIN! And, you can go back and comment, as the winners will be chosen Saturday morning!

Today's introduction is Background Fun. There are so many things you can do with this set. I cannot decide if I like the crackle or the basket weave better, and seriously in the past I wouldn't have been fond of the crackle but the cowboy set we're highlighting later this week? Oh my! I fell in love with it! Here are my two creations. The one with the flowers is highlighting the basket weave stamp in versamark on gray, so it is very subtle and might be hard to see.


This card is supposed to mimic what I imagine a framed photo might look like on a papered wall in the Old West, or in a scrapbook page.



This card highlights the different looks you can get when you use vintage photo ink on kraft . . . while the card above has, I hope, a distinctly western or more vintage feel, this one is supposed to reflect a picnic, with the basket, the tablecloth and white lace.



Here is the hop order. The final stop will take you to the Mark's Finest Papers store front. Have fun hopping!

July Guest Designer- Melisa Waldorf
Nancyruth
Lois
Vicky
Jeanne
Anne
Debbie
Peggysue- http://rosesbymywindow.blogspot.com
Faith
Susan
Judi
Patty
Karen
Connie
Roxie
Vicki
Cathleen
Claudine
Mark’s Finest Papers

Deets ~

Grey/Floral Card
Stamps: Background Fun, Apples and Camellia
Ink: Versamark, black, gold crat
Paper: soft stonr, going grey, pink pirouette, scrap of DP, watercolor paper
Other: gold EP, reinkers and aquapainter for painting flowers, corner rounder punch

Cowboy crackle
Stamps: Background Fun, Southwest Cowboy
Ink: Ranger vintage photo distress ink, black craft
Paper: kraft, DP
Other: brown gingham ribbon, black button, gold gel pen, oval and scalloped oval nestabilities

An Apple a Day
Stamps: Background Fun, Apple and Camellia
Ink: Pure Poppy, Ranger vintage photo distress ink, black craft
Paper: Poppy, white, gingham red, kraft, kiwi kiss
Other: white lace ribbon sticker, paper piercing tool, scalloped circle nestability

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Stampin' Sisters in Christ challenge 47. . . peace



Happy Sunday stampers! It is time for another challenge from Stampin' Sisters in Christ. This week's hostess is the talented mom-to-many Miesje who selected this verse from Matthew 11:28 "Come to me all you who labor and are burdened and I will give you rest." We are to make a card that to us symbolizes rest or peace. It could be flowers, the ocean, mountains, music, sitting with a friend, reading a book, whatever you find peaceful.

And our sponsor, who comes alongside us once a month is Simon Says Stamp! They have a great selection in their online store, you can check it out here. See our home page on the SSIC blog for the stamp set they are generously donating to one lucky winner this week, who participates with us in our challenge.

This week has been anything but restful or peaceful in our household. Have you noticed in your own life when one thing happens, more is sure to follow and soon? So this week I have sought out my true rest, my true peace in the Lord. As the saying goes, "Know Jesus, know peace. No Jesus, no peace."

In all circumstances lean on Him and we are . . . also all the while knowing that almost ANY problems we have encountered this week are so minor compared to what 95% of the rest of the world experiences on a daily basis. I am thankful that I am dealing with what I have on my plate and don't ever want to be caught whining or ungrateful for all of God's blessings.

I know I just posted a white on white card last week, but when I saw the challenge the first thought that came to my mind was snow. Are we all far enough into summer so no one is groaning at this? I find it so restful and peaceful to sit with a hot cup of cocoa, my bible open, facing a bank of windows with newly fallen, fresh snow on the ground. Who else likes that scene? Notice I did not say shoveling out the driveway for the fifth time after the plow leaves huge chunks of ice three feet high, or slipping on your way to get the mail . . . we're talking idyllic snow here!

So there is my cozy little house. I used a few different techniques in here, the main image is smashed onto a versamark pad and sprinkled with irridescent ice EP then embossed, so it looks like you're seeing it through a frost covered windowpane, used Bekka Feeken's corner punch technique for the silver framing, embossed some white on white, the rest is self explanatory. Oh, and I used the sketch challenge from this past Wednesday on Splitcoast Stampers.

What helps you find rest or peace? We'd love to hear your thoughts on this and see your creations. Come play along with the Stampin' Sisters in Christ. Thanks for looking.

I've also entered this into the one Stop Craft Challenge blog monochromatic challenge for this week.
Also the Shabby Tea Room is hosting an embossing challenge this week and I used both types on this card, dry and heat embossing

Stamps: SU To You and Yours, some sort of snowflakes from Inkadinkado
Paper: white, enchanted evening, silver, white shimmer
Ink: Ranger Distress Ink Broken China (I think, it could have been faded jeans, I had them both out, white craft, black
OTher: silver clip, clear EP, II EP, corner punch, spellbinders medallion, cuttlebug folders, score tape, glitter, stickles, silver gel pen

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Make your own flowers


Hi stampers! Made this card earlier this week for the SCS TLC to make your own flowers. I made chiffon flowers, which if you've been to my blog before you've seen in different colors! :) This trio is in Cool Caribbean and Bermuda Bay. I am highlighting a MArk's Finest Papers stamp set that will be released next week~Flourishes and Frame. I love a good flourish and that circle is so dainty and detailed I can picture using it often.

I am on a borrowed computer . . . my oldest DD was kindly making dinner the other night, but using my computer as her recipe book. She didn't hold onto the lid of the blender while blending hot liquids and she did burn her arms a bit, not too badly though, thank goodness. However, my laptop also got a shower of boiling chicken broth and garlic. I am hoping it might make a recovery, but right now I cannot use the zero key, the shift key, the all caps is stuck, SO IT LOOKS LIKE I'M SHOUTING and the airport card doesn't work so I cannot get into the internet.

So I need to borrow DH's computer when I can. We are so tied into our technology now, aren't we?

Hope you are all managing to stay cool in this heat. Thanks for looking.

Sunday, July 4, 2010

Stampin' Sister in Christ challenge 46 . . . red or blue


Happy Sunday stampers! It is time for another challenge from Stampin' Sisters in Christ. This week's hostess is the talented Chris Olsen, who has selected this verse:

2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

Her challenge this week is to use either red or blue, or both, but you do not have to create a patriotic card. Our sponsor this week is Whimsy Haven. You can see the other design team members' cards on our home blog page and read more about our sponsor this week.

I am looking forward to reading Chris' thoughts on her chosen verse this week. I know that as proud as I am of my country, even on this day of celebrating being an American, there are many things in this country that could use healing. I firmly believe that if people turned to Jesus Christ and accepted Him as their Lord and Savior and tried their best to follow his ways and his teaching, there is a lot we could heal.

It isn't easy to humble yourself! It can be hard to say, "I was wrong. Please accept my apology and forgive me." But think what happens to relationships when we do that. Some people are willing to forgive and move on, what a blessing! Others have a hard time and then the relationship is lost, which is so very sad. All you can do is your part to reach halfway.

But when we humble ourselves before the Lord, He is always waiting with open arms to forgive and to love us. That's a wonderful thought! No strings, no restrictions, no making us pay for a wrong over and over and over, He forgives and our sin is then cast away as far as the east is from the west. But it begins with examining your own heart.

On to my card. We had our town parade today. I loved taking my older kids to parades when they were little and I loved dressing them up in patriotic colors! I was reminded this morning of the dresses I would get for my older girls. Do you remember when you were little it always made a dress more special when it had ricrac at the bottom? Smocking and ricrac, those were big time when I was a little girl. That, and Swiss dots. So I combined them in this card reminiscent of a dress I had when I myself was a little girl. (Yes, there are rumors that dinosaurs still roamed the earth then, but prove it!) Its got the sparkly ricrac, swiss dot cuttlebug folder, another row of embossed flowers, and an arrangement of flower buttons. I stitched around the floral bit to help define the white on white a bit better and to give it more the flavor of a decorative patch sewn on a dress. Hope you like it and find time to play along with the challenge this week.

Stamps: Papertrey Ink Everyday Button Bits
Paper: White, red, blue
Ink: Garden green
Other: ricrac die, glitter, swiss dot folder, cuttlebug floral edge folder, MS scoring pad, buttons!, red marker

I found the Cuttlebug Spot recently and I think this card qualifies for using cuttlebug folders (two of them) and patriotic colors.
The Oh Alice! blog has a red, white and blue color challenge this week too!
Also on Stamp Something their challenge is to use the colors of your flag.