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