Papertrey Ink December 2012 blog hop

I had a sudden, late meeting at work on the phone and was afraid I wouldn't get to participate but I had a little bit of time to craft this evening after work was done, whew! I love white on white and am excited about looking at everyone else's creations, but I didn't peep beforehand because I had an idea of my own in my head and I didn't want to mess it up. :)

The one thing about white on white is it is extremely hard for me to photograph. Card number two was actually my first idea, and I wanted to incorporate the die cut of 'blessed' but then it just didn't fit.

So the set I used is PTI 'Through the Trees' one of my favorites. On the inside of the card I finish the sentiment to say blessed...to have you in my life. I am making cards for the ladies in my small group from church. Got to use lots of glitter; it mimics the abundant snow we have outside our window.

I stamped the cluster of trees in versamark and embossed in white, then added some slivers of glitter to mimic snow clinging to the trees and branches. The bird is stamped in red, to stand out, like the cardinals that will come to visit us in about a month's time.

Thanks for looking and happy hopping.

Stamps: Papertrey Ink Through the Trees
Ink: real red, versamark
Paper: white, silver
Other: white embossing powder, MS large chunky glitter (snowbanks), SU fine glitter (snowflakes and trees), ribbon, buttons, PTI tag die, silver pen

Stampin' Sisters in Christ...saying good-bye

Matthew 2:10-11 - "They rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshipped Him. And... presented gifts to Him."

This week's hostess is Kris, who has a message for all of our blog followers on the home page here. 

It has been my overwhelming privilege to be a part of a team focused on the goal of spreading God's word through our stamping abilities. I have met and made friends with marvelous women who have more talent in their little finger than I will ever possess. And to all of our blog followers and readers and participants and sponsors, God bless you richly and always. 

Stampin' Sisters in Christ challenge 164...thankfulness

Happy Sunday stampers! It is time for another challenge from Stampin' Sisters in Christ, where all of our challenges are based upon scripture. This week's hostess is Diane, who has selected this verse Colossians 1:3-5-- We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people— the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel. Her challenge is to create a card or project depicting thankfulness or prayer. It can be a Thanksgiving card/project, a thank-you note, or an "I'm Praying for You" type card/project.

You can find her thoughts on this verse and the rest of the marvelous design team creations on our home page right here. 

My card also fits the very last challenge HYCCT1231 for the Hope You Can Cling To month of challenges sponsored by Splitcoast, to benefit the UT MD Anderson Cancer Center for patients being treated for breast cancer, and their families. The last challenge asked for a card inspired by the outdoors, and I like this little peaceful, Autumn scene. You have a few days yet to upload your creations for the challenges sponsored there during the month of October. 

I have a lot for which to be thankful. But what I like about the verse Diane selected is that middle part, "faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven." Our hope is stored up in heaven. I could make a list of all the things for which I'm thankful, and actually a lot of my friends are doing that on facebook during the month of November. It does good for us to count and thank God for all of our blessings, big and small. But everything on this earth pales in comparison to that glorious, wonderful hope we have stored up in heaven. That is where Jesus Christ is, He is the one who saves, the One who guarantees for us eternal life. That hope in heaven, when I fix my eyes upon it, is what I am most thankful for. 

One thing about my card I do want to mention, getting back to crafty talk. :) I took a bold move and sold my copics. The prices are going up to $8 per marker and I cannot justify that sort of expense, but I had taken the plunge and bought a few at a time over the years and it was difficult making the decision to let them go. But I read some reviews about Spectrum Noir markers from Crafters Companion. 

Using the money from selling my copics I bought the 72 marker bundle set. I got free shipping, some goodies (free stamps) tucked in my box, two cases to hold the markers while using a coupon and my per-marker price was $1.58. These markers have a nib one one end and a chisel tip on the other and the nib is the perfect tool for coloring in the small images you typically used in stamping. The leaves on the trees, the rooftop, the wee pumpkins...couldn't have done it with the brush tip on the copics. I don't claim to be any kind of expert, but I like the way these color. They work just fine for me. So there is my little personal review.  

Wishing you a very thoughtful, thankful November. 

Stamps: Papertrey Ink
Ink: Stazon brown, Memento black, Vintage Photo (Ranger)
Paper: PTI DSP, kraft, random blue piece, vintage cream
Other: Spectrum Noir, spellbinders, PTI buttons

Stampin' Sisters in Christ challenge 163 . . . time

Happy Sunday stampers! It is time for another challenge from Stampin' Sisters in Christ, where all of our challenges are based on scripture! This week's hostess is the lovely Sandie, who has selected this verse from Ecclesiastes 3: parts of 1-8. Her challenge is to focus on time; use clocks, watches, calendars, sundials, OR black and white only to represent night and day. Our sponsor this week is Inspired Stamps and you can find the rest of the creations by the design team and more information about our sponsor on our home page right here!  I know I am eager to read Sandie's thoughts on her chosen verse, we get to see the devotionals at the same time as everyone else and it is fabulous to read how the Holy Spirit works through the different ladies on the team.

I searched and searched and don't own a single image that shows a time piece of any kind. I sure was glad Sandie included the bit about using black and white on a card instead. I have had this image from Northwoods Rubber stamps for a while, I love loons and they favor northern lakes. They are gorgeous black and white birds and seemed a great fit for a black and white card. I was strongly tempted to add a sentiment but I didn't have any small ones that mentioned time either, so I will leave this as a blank, all-occasion type of card.

The filigree stamp on the side is from a retired set by Our Daily Bread Designs. I used a linen impression plate from Papertrey Ink to lend texture to the white cardstock, a bit of black and white gingham ribbon and a white button so the card wouldn't look quite so formal. I think gingham looks friendly. I added white dots around the black layer behind the image to mimic the white dots on the loons' feather pattern and my card was done.

I like the book of Ecclesiastes, it is a book that really causes me to pause and think. Solomon writes about conditions common to any person in any culture anywhere in the world. Our own family has experienced quite its share of 'time periods' this year, and while we all most anticipate and treasure the joyful times, they are that much more precious because of the times that are not so joyful.

I know the time I am looking forward to the most is the day I go to meet Jesus and time will stretch into eternity; an eternity in heaven. But it is not my time for that yet, and I need to make the most of the time I've been given on this earth. We hope you find the time to reflect on this passage and enter our challenge for this week. Thanks for looking.

Stampin' Sisters in Christ challenge 162 . . . peace and calm

Happy Sunday stampers! It is time for another challenge from Stampin' Sisters in Christ, where all of our challenges are based on scripture. You can find the rest of the gorgeous creations this week by our talented design team on our home page here.  Our sponsoring company this week is Daydream Designs, headed up by Diane, a woman who loves the Lord. 

I am this week's hostess and my selected verse is from John John 16:33 (NIV) "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."  For my challenge, please make a card that to you represents peace or calm; with an image, color scheme, CAS layout or verse, something that speaks peace to you, but peace symbols themselves are excluded. The card has to speak peace through your own style.

One randomly selected winner form this week will win a $20 gift certificate to Daydream Designs. I chose to use a lot of white in my creation because I find a lot of peace in the CAS style and imagery. I used blues as a complement to the white because blue is a soothing color for me as well, soft ribbon and an image and verse that evoke for me the greatest peace I find in this life, which is through Jesus Christ. My thoughts on that verse are as follows: 

Jesus doesn’t lie to us. He tells us that we will have trouble in this world. Life is full of troubles and fear-provoking situations. You lose a job, a house burns down, the doctor tells you its cancer, or a judge rules against you…and the list goes on and on.

I chose this verse for my challenge several weeks ago, little realizing that after my husband had a sudden heart attack in July that I would need to lean on that verse again this past week. We took another unexpected ambulance ride to the emergency room for another serious, potentially life-threatening situation that started off looking like an ordinary case of the flu.

And as I held my husband’s hand to comfort him, he asked if he had frightened me, yet again, with the possibility of his imminent departure from this world.

My answer was … no, not this time. Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t in a place of 100% peace and calm, there was some anxiety, mixed in with worry, fear, apprehension, numbness and concern…the whole mixture for a cocktail of panic was present. But I have the choice to allow them to overwhelm me, or to take another hand in mine, the hand of the One who never lets us go. In Jesus, or as the verse says, “in me you may have peace.” And it is true. When I focused on Him, I had peace.

But fear doesn’t just strike during the crisis period; it likes to creep in afterwards as well, like cold air seeping around the edges of a windowpane. My husband needs a nitroglycerin tablet and my own heart starts to pound with worry. Or I look at the pile of medical bills, totaling a sum that would require a lottery win to pay in full, and my emotions dive yet again. One issue piles up on another issue and suddenly fear is back, full-blown and threatening to overwhelm me like a tidal wave. What do we do?

That verse and many others give us the answer. Our peace only comes through Jesus Christ. When those fears start to return I do one of three or four things; I reach for my bible, I drop to my knees, or I reach out to a Christian sister to ask for prayer. I know number four doesn’t work, pacing the floor and wringing my hands. When I reach step four I have to go back to steps one through three.

The source of our comfort or security is not a clean bill of health; we all will fall sick one day. It isn’t a full bank account or an excellent insurance policy. Jeremiah 29:13 says, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”  And when our heart is focused on Jesus the rest of the world fades away and we can experience true comfort.

Life is a journey of learning and continually relearning that lesson until one day we will be in His arms for real and our troubles will be in the past. But in this life, where troubles do still exist, lean on the only One who can give you true peace.

Thank you for looking. Have a blessed week.  

Stampin' Sisters in Christ challenge 161...or trees

Good afternoon stampers! I had a very busy week and missed the challenge this past Sunday at Stampin' Sisters in Christ, but was determined to come up with a card for Miesje's challenge; such a sweet subject about putting our trust in God.

Her chosen verse is Psalm 52:10 "But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God's unfailing love forever and ever." Miesje's devotion is on the home page for Stampin' Sisters in Christ.  This also fits one of the Hope You Can Cling To challenges on Splitcoaststampers, challenge HYCCT1203 to use a sentiment with five words on your card. It is hard to see on the top of the card because of the lighting, but I used a sentiment that says, "Peace within makes beauty without," with two words stamps in the leaves of the tree towards the top.

No thoughts beyond Miesje's wise and true words in her devotional. I was inspired by the gorgeous Fall colors in the trees around here, they are beautiful and every bit as bright, and more, than the ink I used in my card. Thanks for looking.

Stamps: Papertrey Ink
Ink: dark chocolate, kaleidacolor Desert Heat
Paper: kraft, dark chocolate, pear, vintage cream
Other: button, prima leaves, twine, gold pen

Hope and Remembrance for Daydream Designs

Daydream Designs Declaration of Hope Day October 9th

We shall draw from the heart of suffering itself the means of inspiration and survival. ~Winston Churchill~

Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. 

Psalm 25:5

From Diane:

Few things in life teach more powerful lessons than adversity. When one encounters devastating challenges, it becomes easier to separate the superficial and the trivial from what matters most. We can suffer many losses, yet through faith, family and friends we discover the will to carry on. What we cannot live without is hope. Hope is the essential ingredient to emotional and spiritual survival, even when the body is wracked by destructive disease. Disease is a cruel enemy, but one conquest it rarely claims is hope.

Members of the Daydream Designs Dream Team, join together this month as one voice on this day to extend hope and encouragement to those touched by cancer and other life-altering diseases or disorders. Everyone on the team has either personally battled the ravages cancer or their loved ones or friends have been touched by it. Some have witnessed the devastation of Alzheimer’s or the struggles associated with Autism. Whatever the struggle, we have discovered the importance of hope.

We invite you to join us on this journey of hope, and as you visit each blog, we know you will be inspired by the creative talents of our team, by personal stories and powerful testimonies about the God who is with His children through every circumstance. We’ve each designed projects using images and/or sentiments from the new Hope Endures series. There is an outline set available to create your own colored set and currently four primary colored lines:

Pink: Breast Cancer, Purple: All Cancer, Alzheimer’s, Yellow: Children’s Cancer, Bone Cancer, Soldier Support, Puzzle:for Autism. Please see Diane's blog where she has posted one image from each colorized set above. They are FREE TODAY ONLY!

Visit our blogs, for your own inspiration, but we’d love to hear from you too. We invite you to share your own testimony of faith, or take the opportunity to honor loved ones who lost the battle with cancer. Share whatever is on your heart. You can tell your story on anyone’s blog, but we hope you’ll let each designer know you visited. Maybe you’d just rather list the names of those you want to honor andremember, whatever the form the cancer /disease took. Here are the dream team members who are participating.

Beth 

Diane

Helen 

Jerusha 

Karen 

Marlou 

Michelle 

Miesje 

Peggysue 

Vicki

My very short story...right now I'm busy running back and forth to the hospital for a family member battling a different issue. But I put this card together with the three strips of designer paper to remember the three people in my life that cancer has taken; my dad, my grandmother and my sister-in-law. Thanks for looking. 

SSIC challenge 160 . . . box

Happy Sunday stampers! It is time for another challenge from Stampin' Sisters in Christ, where all of our challenges are based on scripture. For this week our hostess is the talented Michelle, who has selected this verse from Ephesians 3:17-19 "that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height - to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge."

Her challenge is to make a box or use an image that contains a box. Our sponsor this week is Digi Garden and I am loving their cute images. (hint: if you are a facebook fan, they give away one free image every Friday!)

I have to give complete kudos to Heidi at Running with Scissors for her great, detailed instructions for making this tea dispenser box, isn't it a cute design? A little hard to mail maybe, but I think it would make a great gift. And though we are still in October, it isn't too early to be thinking about easy, handmade gifts for family, friends or teachers. This came together surprisingly quickly. 

I was undecided as to which image might suit the box best and in the end went with the little chef. For the top of the box decoration I used some PTI flower dies and was happy to dig out just the right colors of felt to match some of the colors in the paper, Soho Garden by American Crafts. 

I used my trusty prismacolor pencils to color in the image and added a little tea stamp on each side that comes from a set by Papertrey Ink. 

I am looking forward to reading Michelle's thoughts on her chosen verse and look forward to seeing all of your box creations in our gallery this week! Hope you can play along and thank you for looking. 

Stamps: Digi Garden, Papertrey Ink
Ink: black
Paper: 12x12 brown sheet, Soho Garden DSP, vintage cream by PTI
Other: felt, button, dies, prismacolor pencils, gamsol, silver gel pen

HYCCT first challenge . . . beeeee yourself

At Splitcoaststampers this is the third year to host a challenge lasting all month long, called Hope You Can Cling To for cancer awareness. They partner with a major cancer center that receives the cards for the benefit of the cancer patients and their families; this year it is the UT MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.

The first challenge involves making a card that shows what makes you, you. Who am I? The eternal question we are all trying to answer! LOL! I have lots of parts that make me who I am, but in card making I like cute images, get my brain working best when its involved with a sketch challenge and am happiest when all of the elements I wanted are working together, satisfying the logical side of my mind for why something is in a card.

For this card I followed the Mojo Monday sketch 261, the technique challenge this week on SCS for a latticework background because I love learning new techniques, and used the image Lydia sent us for our Christmas Card challenge club from Stampin' Up's Wonderful Winterland, because for me, it was love at first sight with this little cutie. A coffee mug, a little girl, a heart, a BUNNY, oh my, who could ask for more?

I love my Fiskars corner punch/embosser and the heart embosser seemed like just the right fit for the cardstock corners to match the little heart in the image.

I had a lot of fun with this challenge and time permitting, hope to get to a few more this month.

Thanks for looking! Hope you can check out the challenges at SCS for HYCCT and donate your creations to the cancer center in Houston.

Stamps: Wonderful Winterland by Stampin' Up
Paper: PTI vintage cream, pure poppy, Gina K gold paper
Ink: memento black
Other: prismacolor pencils, gawgeous! glitter paper from Lydia, paper piercing tool, PTI green ribbon, PTI heart dies, Fiskars corner punch/embosser

Christmas Card Club 2012 . . .September from Lydia

I am a little late getting up my post for our Christmas card club, but it is still Sunday so I'm within the timeframe parameters. I just love this little image that Lydia sent us for her turn at hostess! This is a photo and liust of supplies that Lydia sent out, thanks Meredith for always being so faithful as the group organizer to take a shot of all the supplies! Image - Stampin' Up! Wonderful Winterland - stamped in Memento on Neenah Paper: Candlelight DSP - Stampin' Up! Snow Festival Designer Printed Tags, Stampin' Up! Noel Notes laser cut note and liner - Stampin' Up! Champagne glimmer paper (which I am hoarding because it is just SO pretty, LOL!) Accessories - Designer Brushed Bronze buttons - Stampin Up! 1/8" Old Olive Taffeta Ribbon - Stampin' Up!

I loved the little image and the gold paper and for some reason the brown on one side of the patterned paper Lydia sent really struck me. I also felt very decadent using almost half a sheet of pearls for the one card! I'm the type sitting there with tweezers usually to make sure I don't waste any and put three or five tops on a any given card! So again, I saw the warmth of the browns and beiges that can accompany winter and focused solely on those colors and shades, didn't use the reds and greens, which are equally as pretty! For the top card I used my prismacolor pencils and gamsol, while the card below uses copics. I had a lot of fun with this kit! Need to make the rounds and see what everyone else created! Thanks for looking!

Other Christmas Card Club members:

Kelli
Lee
Lydia
Meredith
Misti

SSIC challenge 150 ... music

Happy Sunday stampers! It is time for another challenge from Stampin' Sisters in Christ, where all of our challenges are based on scripture. This week's sponsor is Fred She Said! They are giving away a $15 gift card to one randomly selected participant in this week's challenge.

And our lovely hostess this week is the devoted MariLynn, who has a beautiful heart for the Lord. She has selected this verse from Ephesians 5:19-20 Speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Her challenge is to create a card or project that incorporates music somehow. 

MariLynn often gives out her favorite hymns or inspirational songs on her blog posts and I bet today is no exception. I look forward to reading her thoughts on this morning's verse. 

I do know that if we followed that verse in Ephesians we wouldn't be sharing gossip or talking unkindly about other people because if we speak to one another with hymns and songs from the Spirit that would be eliminated from our speech. That is an area of struggle for many if not all of us I think. 

For my card I chose this image from Penny Black's 12 Days of Christmas set. I realized that I don't have a lot of song or music related stamps any more, I have given them to a friend who will make more use of them than I have. But I have this little dog playing the drums and I already gave this card to my youngest daughter, who is going to be starting fifth grade band playing percussion. 

The tone of my card is a bit 'greeny' maybe I can play with that later today to fix it. 

Thanks for looking, hope you can play along this week! 

Sketchy Owls

Good afternoon!

Ever have one of those weeks when each day of the week you were a day off? Arrive at the auto repair shop for your tuneup only to discover that you are a day early or day late? Go to get your hair cut and your appointment is next week? I've had a week like that and it happened again this morning! But when it did happen, I had to come back home and that gave me some time to stamp. :)

I was first going to put the owls on the top, but then when I looked at the sketch, their length really fit the bottom portion. So I have the sentiment on top instead and I like that better anyway.

Sketch from Tuesday Morning Sketches, number 165.

Great sketch, love owls from Daydream Designs, especially this time of year. Thanks for looking!

Stamps: Daydream Designs Owl Always Love You, SU sentiment
Paper: brown, retired SU DSP, blues and aquas, speckled off white
Ink: black
Other: prima leaves, decorative sticky tape, rhinestones, copics, cuttlebug vintage die, spellbinders ovals

Papertrey Ink Blog Hop September 2012

Just squeaking into the September Papertrey Ink blog hop to use fabric in a package or as a packaging element. I was really scratching my head over this one and then I remembered this tea bag gift holder I made a few years ago. It is an 8.5x11 sheet of cardstock cut and scored to resemble a large tea bag and it holds either a bag on either side as the cardstock is folded to created two pockets, or you could hang a few in the middle. I tried to take a side shot so you could see that it is a 3-D item.

I used some flannel fabric for the cup on the front and the tea bag 'tag' on the back as well as the circle under the blue tea cup on the back. I think the flannel carries the warmth of the idea of tea. I am taking this photo late at night and I am not the world's best photographer. The red cardstock is textured, but looks flat in the photo. Anyhow, thanks for looking!

Stamps: Papertrey Ink Tea for Two
Ink: black
Paper: poppy, blue, Fancy Pants DP, PTI DP
Accessories: silver cord, spellbinders petite scalloped circle, PTI cup die and tiny tags dies, white gel pen, silver pencil, silver rhinestones, PTI ricrac die, flannel, felt (black for ricrac)

Tea bag instructions: I originally found my instructions here.
The centimeters roughly translate into cutting an 8.5x11 sheet of cardstock to 10 x 6.
Score lengthwise at 1.5 inches and 4.5 inches.
Score horizontally at 4.5, 5 and 5 inches...these scores make the bottom part of the tea bag you see in the photo.

The original instructions have you scoring and then folding over the top corners but my cardstock is too thick, so I just cut them off.

VSN Goes Back to School

I didn't realize it was VSN weekend. I never do have enough time to participate in too many challenges, but last night I got to the first one. You had to use notebook paper or a notebook paper image in your card so I used this notebook stamp from Papertrey Ink on vintage cream paper stamped in Ranger Distress inks vintage photo, for the look of an old library card.

I used some retired Stampin' Up designer paper. I always love that paper, it coordinates so nicely and it is such a great weight. Because I paper pieced my image I had to rush the layout so I kept that very simple. I have found it is super easy to paper piece digitals. I just size the image on a word document, copy the image and have four or six up on a page. Print it out once on standard computer paper, then tape your designer paper over the various images and run it through the printer again, then cut out your pieces.

This is a Friday Freebie from Digi Garden, every Friday on facebook they post another adorable image that you can snag for free; I'm starting to build a little library of images. When I saw the VSN challenge I thought of this little image right away, she looks like she is bringing a flower in for her teacher.

Thanks for looking. Have a great day!

Stamps: The Digi Garden, Papertrey Ink (notecard and sentiment)
Paper: Stampin' Up DSP, kraft, vintage cream
Ink: Ranger distress ink vintage photo, black
Other: large scallop die, heart border die, PTI buttons, copics

Sketchy Owls

Great sketch this week at Splitcoast Stampers (#403). Perfect for this little owl guy from Daydream Designs.
Colored him with copics, popped up on some pop dots to raise him above the paper panels and voila! Quick and easy card to send to a friend. Thanks for looking!

Daydream Designs Blog Hop...Fall or Owls

We are so excited to launch our first Daydream Designs Blog Hop!  We have a fabulous line up of fun fall-themed projects to share with you.  We hope you will be inspired and enjoy the hop.  You also have several ways to earn a chance to win some great prizes:

 OUR SPONSOR:

THE PRIZES:

1.  Leave a comment on each of the blogs below.

One random winner will be selected to win one FREE set of choice (including digi paper packs)

from Daydream Designs.

Diane
MariLynn

Miesje

Amy

Helen

Michelle

Traci

Beth

Peggysue (that's me)

Jerusha

Vicki

2.  Leave a comment on each blog above AND create your own fall-themed project to link

on the last blog of the blog hop, Vicki's Pink Posh Cards.

If you participate in both of these ways your name will be entered

for random selection to win THREE FREE sets of your choice (including paper packs).

3. And for this blog hop EVERYONE CAN WIN!

Pick up the FREE digi at the end of the first blog in the hop:

Diane's Daydream Designs.

MY PROJECT:  

Good morning all! Should be pretty obvious by my image here that I chose OWLS and not Fall. :) Gotta love this little owl with the polka dots and bow. Polka dots automatically make a card happy!

You should have arrived at my blog from Beth and your next stop will be Jerusha! Enjoy the hop!

Image: Daydream Designs owl
Ink: black
Paper: Doodlebug DSP, white, PTI Hawaiian Shores, Raspberry Fizz, white
Other: copics, rhinestones, embossing folder, stickles

Stampin' Sisters in Christ challenge 157 ...Fall

Happy Sunday stampers! It is time for another challenge from Stampin' Sisters in Christ, where our challenges are based on scripture. Our sponsor this week is Sweet n' Sassy stamps and I am using one of their Fall digital images. I love the fact that coneflowers come in bright pink as well as yellows and golds, and I paired it up with Basic Grey Indian Summer DSP.

Our hostess this week is the blog's founding mother, Kris! who selected this verse from Galatians 6:9 "So let's not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up." Her challenge is to make a harvest or Fall card.

If you look on our home page here you can see the rest of the creations by the design team and read Kris' thoughts on her chosen verse.

I printed out the image on kraft paper and colored it with prismacolor pencils. To match the DSP from Basic Grey I used PTI's kraft, fine linen and raspberry fizz papers, added a scalloped oval around the image and used a fiskars punch for the border underneath. Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Stampin' Sisters in Christ challenge 156 . . .no neutrals

Happy Sunday stampers! It is time for another challenge from Stampin' Sisters in Christ, where all of our challenges are based on scripture. This week's hostess is our northern sister Jerusha, who has selected this verse from Romans 3:23-24 " For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins." 

Her challenge is to use only bright colours, no neutrals, blacks, browns, etc.

I am excited to read her words and thoughts on this verse like the rest of you. When the devotionals appear, it is a treat for the rest of the design team as well since we don't see them before hand. We do see the lovely cards and projects as they appear in the photo files, so make sure you go to our home page for both devo and cards! 

Our sponsor this week is The Craft's Meow! which is offering a stamp set of the winner's choice to one randomly selected participant in this week's challenge. 

And for anyone reading this I have to apologize for my lack of commenting this summer. My husband has had health issues as has his mother, we have an exchange student here and school has just recently started. We've been to more doctors and medical professionals than I can count and then you top it off with the forms and the bills...it doesn't leave much time to spare!

I love this verse because there is so much you can glean from it. First and foremost every time I think of my own salvation I am filled with such happiness and joy. I have to say though that I didn't fully grasp, and don't think I grasp even today, the enormity of that gift. And I didn't grasp for a long time that I was included in that word "all." We all fall short, we are all sinners. 

One day a sermon on the radio really brought it home for me. I was driving along thinking ill of someone who had really hurt me through their own sinful behavior, listening to the sermon and imagining just how much that person needed to hear these words! How much they needed to change and be sorry for what they had done! 

Then the speaker, Erwin Lutzer, asked the congregation, which building in Chicago is taller, Moody church or the Sears Tower? At that time the Sears tower was the tallest building in the world, the answer was obvious. Then he asked, if two people left from the tops of those buildings, traveling at the same speed, which would be first to reach the constellation Orion? Stars are light years away from our planet, the difference in arrival would be infinitesimal compared to the total journey. THAT, he said, is the difference of our sin in God's eyes. Any sin, all sin, no matter what size, how it is packaged, is the same in scope when compared to God's perfection.

That is when I realized my sins are equal to anyone else's. I have no right to have those dark thoughts of who did what to hurt my feelings. Now, I still fall into that sometimes and yes, I can get my feelings hurt and suffer the consequences of sinful actions. But what are the consequences of my own sin? How great is my own sin? That is where my thoughts need to be and that is the wellspring of my gratitude to Jesus Christ, because without his sacrifice, there is no bridge for me to get over the gap of my sin and into heaven. 

Thanks for looking. We hope you can play along this week. 

Stamps: The Craft's Meow (butterfly), MFP retired sentiment
Ink: Carribbean Sea (?) kaleidacolor pad, black
Paper: white, assortment of greens, blue, Cosmo Cricket DeLovely pad
Other: silver cord, rhinestones, embossing plates and tools, MFP banner die

Digi Garden...digital gardening

I like this little image from Digi Garden as the little girl is gathering her garden produce, something we have been doing in our garden lately! We have potatoes, squash, beans, okra and a few pumpkins growing!

My friend Kris is designing these cute images and you can find more of them right here. http://thedigigarden.weebly.com/. I just colored the image with some copics and cut it out to mount it on a circle with some gardeny-type designer paper behind it. The sentiment is from a PTI mini tag set. Thanks for looking!

Stamps: The Digi Garden
Ink: black
Paper: Doodlebug, white, yellow, green, pacific point blue
Other: gems from Pizzazz Aplenty, copics

Happy 3rd birthday Stampin' Sisters in Christ!

This Sunday is SSiC's 3rd Birthday and we invite you to celebrate with us by way of a Birthday Blog Hop!! 

Helen is our lovely challenge hostess.  The challenge is to make a birthday card and is inspired by this Scripture:  John 3:3 "Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." Please be sure to read Helen's devotional on this Scripture on our challenge blog!

Our challenge sponsor is Verses, who is donating a $15 Gift Card to one random participant in our card challenge (please link your card in our Linky) and as always, we will pick 3 Shining Stars who's cards will be showcased the following Tuesday on our blog!

And now for the Blog Hop!  We will pick 3 random winners who complete the hop and who leave a comment on all our DT's blogs!  Hoppers do not have to make a card and enter our challenge, although we'd love it if they did!  Hoppers could win one of the following:

$20 GC to Daydream Designs,

3 Free digis from The Digi Garden,

and 3 digi sets from Carly's Cuties

Winners from the blog hop will be announced on Tuesday, Sept. 11th along with our challenge winner and Shining Stars.

Here's the order... Happy Hoppin'!!

SSiC -- Start Here

Candace- Creatively Candace  
Diane- Diane's Designs
Helen- Creative Jeans
Jerusha- I Love Paper Crafting

Kris- Ink Something 2
Laura - http://lozzapoppins.blogspot.com/

Linda- Lovely Linda's Craft Central
Marilynn- Mississippi McGyver
Michelle- My Papered Cottage
Miesje- Craft Room with a View
Peggysue- Roses by My Window
Sandie- Sandies Card Garden

Traci- Major Moments

Stampin Sisters in Christ

I used an image from My Daydream Designs digital set, Birds and Bees. I paper pieced this same image earlier this week to look like a robin in a folk art setting and this time I used cool blues, vanilla and some striped paper to give it a softer look. 

Thanks for looking and happy hopping! 

Christmas Card Club 2012

Good morning stampers! A group of friends decided to participate in a Christmas Card Club where each month one hostess send the rest of the group members materials to use to make a few Christmas cards. I was the first hostess. Talk about nervous! I haven't done one of these before and wanted to make sure the packet I sent would work for everyone!

The image I chose is from Waltzingmouse Stamps and Claire graciously gave us permission to make copies from a stamped image and send it to the group. I love the nutcrackers and other images in this set and am looking forward to seeing what everyone created with it! I think Meredith has a photo of the packet content mailed to each member. Meredith (craftymatchchick) is the organizer who organized the whole thing and she remembered to take a picture of this kit, I didn't. :)

Members could use as much or as little from the kit contents as they chose, but had to use the image.

I took a cue from a layout by Debby Hughes that I saw on pinterest and cut banners from my designer paper to lay on the left side of the layout, adding my image on the right lower end.

Make sure you stop by everyone's blog to see what they in turn, created! Hope they had fun with the kit and I'm looking forward to what we receive next month!

Kelli
Lee
Lydia
Meredith
Misti

Stamps: Waltzingmouse "Nutcracker Sweet"
Ink: black
Paper: white, Echo Park DP
Other: SU silver chunky glitter, Martha STewart glitter, snowflake die, PTI button, SU silver cord, copics, sakura gel pens

Robins and paper piecing

One of the things I like about open digital images is that you can come up with almost infinite paper piecing combinations depending on your store of patterned paper. I happen to own a lot. *cough* It just flies by itself into my hands! :) Okay, patterned paper is a weakness of mine.

And depending on the color scheme you use you can achieve a folk-art look, a contemporary look, soft and dreamy...it depends on the embellishments, the background and color combinations. I think this has almost a folk art look because of the browns and reds. This is one of those rare occasions when you picture something in your head and it turns out exactly the way you wanted. In this case, I'm not wild about how I placed the sentiment, but I do like the robin I created from these Prima papers and the Daydream Designs digital image.

I have another look at a different patterned paper combination using this same image on Sunday, hope you can pop back to look at it! Thanks, and have a great day!

Images: Daydream Designs Birds and Bees
Stamps: Papertrey Ink Everyday Button Bits for sentiment
Paper: PTI red, kraft, vanilla; patterned paper by Prima
Other: PTI heart die, MS heart border punch (tiny hearts on kraft panel, left), paper piercing tool