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

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

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! 

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

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! 

Stampin' Sisters in Christ challenge 158 ...handmade

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 Lovely Linda who selected this verse from Psa 139:14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. Her challenge is to create a card/project with something handmade on it - could be a flower, stitching, patterned paper - show us your creativity!

And our sponsor this week is A Day for Daisies where you can find some lovely digital images like the one I used in my card. Funny I never used to use digitals and now I find that they are so versatile. 

My handmade item on my card is the cluster of hand-dyed chiffon flowers in the lower left corner. You take white chiffon, and cut it into small circles. Using dye-based ink refills, drop some of the ink on a sheet of wax paper. Then using tweezers and a small candle flame, once the chiffon is dyed you singe the edges of the chiffon to seal it with the candle flame and then spread matching colors of stickles on the very outside edge of the flower. 
I made this card for my daughter at college. She likes mermaids and I do miss her being so far away. 

I am looking forward to reading Linda's thoughts on her chosen verse. I think that verse becomes more of a personal challenge each year a woman ages. I am looking at 50 for my next birthday, no Spring chicken anymore and I never was the lithe, willowy type. Society's ideal of beauty and my looks don't mix, so when I look in the mirror I often forget this verse. I forget that the Lord made me and that His works are marvelous. 

Plus this verse doesn't really mention the outside person, does it? I am fearfully and wonderfully made...doesn't say "I am so gorgeous I'm going to become a model." The inner workings are more important than the outer shell and God makes all of it. When you think of us as a creation right down to the cellular level, the fact that they all need to cooperate to make the body function, that right now as I'm typing this the blood is flowing, oxygen being delivered to the right places, brain cells whirring...the human body is a fearful and wonderful creation. And then you tie emotions into the package; it doesn't stop with the body's functions, which can be recreated by machinery, but we have the capacity to love, to show compassion, to laugh, to grieve...all of which makes us so distinctly human. 

We are fearfully and wonderfully made and when I stop to think about it in the right way, "I know this full well." 

We look forward to seeing your creations this week in our gallery. Thanks for looking. Have a blessed week! 

Stampin' Sisters in Christ challenge 154...dies or punches

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 talented Diane, who selected this verse from Isaiah 64:8 "Yet you, LORD, are our Father.  We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand." Her challenge is to use punches, dies or shapes of any kind. Our sponsor this week is a grab bag of stamps and embellishments donated by Kelly Little, who had an online store but moved on to other pursuits. She generously donated some items from this endeavor to our challenge blog and we do appreciate it!

Please check out our home page to read Diane's thoughts on this chosen verse and to see the rest of the creations by our talented design team!

For my card I used dies and punches in combination. As long as I have owned this little owl punch from Stampin' Up, I have never used it yet. I pulled it out for this challenge as I need a birthday card for my middle daughter and she loves owls. I was going through some of my older cards recently and realized I hadn't done a shadowbox card in a while; the owl is perched on a branch outside of his home in the tree. The cardstock I used is cream colored although it comes out very white in the photo. The interior I used kraft.

I used a 1 1/2" circle punch to make the hole for his tree home and a petite scallop circle spellbinders die for his wings.  I have a wee flower punch from I don't know where that I used for the pom pom on top of his party hat, and I combined the owl with the Everyday Button Bits set from Papertrey Ink so he could have a bouquet of balloons to hold. Thanks for looking and we hope you can play along this week.

Stamps:  Everyday Button Bits (Papertrey Ink), Turning a New Leaf
Ink: Kiwi Kiss (SU), black
Paper: PTI off white and kraft, chocolate and random DP
Other: eyelets, chartreuse ribbon, SU owl punch, PTI buttons, PTI woodgrain impression plate, spellbinders die, small flower punch

Stampin' Sisters in Christ challenge ...only words

Happy Sunday stampers! It is time for another challenge from Stampin' Sisters in Christ, where all of our challenges are based upon scripture. Our sponsor this week is Our Daily Bread Designs! The company has a wide variety of scripture based stamp sets and lovely images. We hope you can play along this week as one randomly selected player will receive a $15 gift card to their store. 

Our challenge hostess this week is sweet Candace who selected this verse from Proverbs 30:5 Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Her challenge is to use the sentiment only, no image at all. Please be sure to look at our home page to see the rest of the creations by the talented ladies on our design team and to read Candace's thoughts on her chosen scripture verse. 

I turned to the layout from Monday at Mojo Monday and selected a scripture verse from an ODBD set I own. We have a lot of things in consideration in prayer in our family, I'm sure you do too! So this card would be suitable for any one of my relatives! 

Don't quite know what happened with the photograph, the flower really does match the blue in the paper a bit better than it appears. The lovely patterned paper in the soft beige and blues was given to me by a friend. I cut the ricrac with a die and added glitter and that's about it! Thanks for looking and have a great day. 

Stampin' Sisters in Christ challenge 152 ...home

Happy Sunday stampers! It is time for another challenge from Stampin' Sisters in Christ, where all of our challenges are based on scripture. The hostess for today's challenge is none other than my good friend Traci, who selected this verse from 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."

Her challenge is to create something that says 'home' to you. Our sponsor today is DRS Designs. The lemonade pitcher on my card is one example from their stamp line and so reminiscent of my childhood at home, drinking lemonade or other cold beverages during those long summer breaks from school. 

I love that verse that Traci selected; it is one of my all time favorites. My daughter had a dream the other night about events that sounded so like the rapture. It could come today and welcome! 

The struggles of this life can grow wearying. Or sometimes you just feel a general sense of being misplaced. That is because no matter how comfortable our dwelling here, no matter how loving our family, how rewarding our occupation or work, or how joyful our Sunday worship, none of it can compare to the rest and joy we will feel when we make it to our eternal home in heaven with Jesus. 

You can read Traci's thoughts on her chosen verse and see the rest of the creations by our design team on our home page here. We hope you find time this week to play along. Thanks for looking! 

Stamps: DRS Designs (image), PTI (sentiment)
Ink: black
Paper: PTI white, Cosmo Cricket DeLovely DP
Other: embossing strip, ric rac die, spellbinders, copics

Stampin' Sisters in Christ . . . banners

Happy Sunday stampers! It is time for another challenge from Stampin' Sisters in Christ. This week's hostess is the uber-talented Kris, who has selected this verse from Psalm 46:10 "Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." She challenges you to use flags or banners in your creation.

I am excited to read her thoughts on the verse this week and you will be challenged and inspired by the rest of the design team's creations, which you can find on our home page here.

Our sponsor this week is a grab bag of stamps donated by an anonymous stamper who wants to share her bounty with other stampers. They are individual stamps, a nice little package will make its way through the mail to one randomly selected stamper from our challenge this week.

I chose to use a banner die from My Favorite Things or MFT stamps, along with the telephone die and a stamp from Papertrey Ink. I also used a Waltzingmouse stamp to embellish the spellbinders die underneath the telephone.

I used sketch 145 from the Got Sketch blog found here. I turned it around a bit and have my sentiment running up the side of the card. I used the Hello stamp from the Papertrey Ink set using the telephone, printing one letter at a time on the colored banners. Its a bit difficult to see on the black, but I used a cuttlebug edge embosser and put a little row of flowers next to the Hello banners. The ricrac has black glitter to give the card a little bit of sparkle.

Thanks for looking and have a blessed week!

Stamps: Waltzingmouse (on spellbinders die), Papertrey Ink (sentiment)
Paper: white, black, variety of colors for banner
Ink: black
Other: spellbinders die, telephone  and ricrac die (PTI), cuttlebug embossing folders, silver cording, MFT banner die, button, glitter

Stampin' Sisters in Christ challenge 144 . . . God's masterpiece

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 challenge hostess is one of our new design team sisters and I'm so excited to read her first devotional, sweet Jerusha! Her verse is selected from Ephesians 2:10 "For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago." Create something that reflects you - you are God's masterpiece!


I had a hard time deciding what to make, I must have a split personality I guess because I couldn't decide what would represent me! I do like using different techniques, so in this card I did wrinkle free distress on the homemade tag, made some glimmmer mist using spun sugar ranger distress ink and gold powder, and embossed the corners of the paper. I also like mixing up elements from different stamp companies and for this project I used Pretty Peonies from Papertrey Ink, the sentiment and flourish from retired sets by MFP, spellbinders, cuttlebug and a new dragonfly die from Serendipity Stamps. Inks are a combination of ranger distress and Stampin' Up. I packed a lot into this one card. 


There is a lot packed into this one verse as well and I am anxious to read Jerusha's thoughts on this. Even the first segment of the verse, 'we are God's masterpiece,' wow. Who thinks of themselves in that way? I know we're each created by God and if the bible says we are his masterpiece, we need to believe it, but when I look in the mirror I don't feel that way. More than likely, this is because we're not supposed to look in the mirror, examine our bank statement or pull out our resume to determine our self-worth. We're supposed to look at ourselves and all of life through God's perspective. 


For me, when I stop looking at life through the lens of the bible, that's when all my insecurities, all my fears sweep over me like a tidal wave and there are times I flutter in indecision and inactivity, paralyzed by my own dim view of myself and of my world. 


What does the verse go on to say? "We are created anew in Christ Jesus so we can do good things he planned for us long ago." My paralyzing fears and insecurities prevent me from being fully effective in the work God has planned for me on this earth. What have I missed doing, who have I missed talking to, because I was afraid or insecure? Because I didn't have a true picture of my eternal worth through the redemption offered by Christ Jesus? I think this is a good verse for me to copy on an index card this week and keep posted on the bathroom mirror. 


Thanks for looking and wishing you a blessed week. 
Stamps: Papertrey Ink Text Style, Pretty Peonies, MFP for verse and flourish at bottom of tag
Inks: SU Rose, Ranger distress ink in Antique Linen, Spun Sugar and Vintage Photo
Paper: Vintage Cream, Pink Pirouette, kraft, Autumn Rose, patterned paper
Other: rock candy crackle, glitter, spellbinders die, serendipity die (dragonfly), ribbon, lace, corner embosser (fiskars), pearls, gold perfect pearls and spun sugar ink refill

Stampin' Sisters in Christ . . . actions

Happy Sunday stampers! It is time for another challenge from Stampin' Sisters in Christ, wehre all of our challenges are based on scripture. This week's hostess is sweet Helen and we welcome a brand new sponsor, The Paper Shelter! Sweet images, check out more details on our home page at Stampin' Sisters in Christ! I had an image all picked out and ready to print and then my printer and I experienced artistic differences. I wanted it to print and it did not, so I reverted to a rubber stamp for this challenge instead.

Helen's chosen verse for this week is from 1 John 3:18 "Dear children, let's not merely say that we love each other, let us show the truth by our actions." NLT And her challenge is to use an image showing action, or an image only on the front of you card with no sentiment, or an action card that moves.

There is so much instruction in the bible about how to live our lives; I particularly like Micah and James for this. As it says in James 2:16 "If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does not nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?"

What should compel our actions? Not a belief that any actions on our part can help us 'earn' our way into heaven, salvation comes from Jesus Christ alone! However out of love for Christ, and the great gift He has given us, we should feel compelled to take action in our world to help our neighbors. One of the greatest expressions of our faith is what we do with it.

I personally feel that however much I might wonder sometimes why I live in a particular place or what God's plan is for me there, that He put me there for a reason and I'm supposed to hit the ground running; find a place to plug in to use my gifts or talents to serve those around me. And believe me, I don't always feel like going or serving. But each time I do, I come away with a greater appreciation for what God has given me in my own life, the blessings that I can see each and every day. Faith in action not only helps point people to Jesus Christ, the way, the truth and the life, but it also blesses the giver.

How many of us have been on the receiving end as well, where someone does something so truly special for us it reminds us once again that we are loved and valued. I know that I've talked a lot about the hard years as a single parent, but after that I have had 13 challenging, but wonderful years married to my best friend, who performs actions of service and helps point me to God's love every single day. His actions help me understand God's love more clearly.

Wishing you a blessed week! Thanks for looking and we look forward to seeing your creations in the gallery.

Other challenges:
Tuesday Morning Sketches number 149 (laid the sketch on its side)
Totally Gorjus sunshine challenge (these mice are clearly rowing on a sunshiny day)
Cute Card Thursday water challenge (paddling their boats!)


Stamps:  Penny Black (mice), PTI (sunflower)
Ink: Stazon black (please note this ink choice was a complete goof considering I changed my mind from watercoloring to copics)
Paper: random DP, orange, blue, yellow, white, green
Other: copics, last scrap of fun ribbon, buttons, gel pen, Martha Stewart punch for flower

Stampin' Sisters in Christ challenge 142 . . . lift up your eyes

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 Diane, who formerly hosted Women to Women Sharing Jesus, so I'm looking forward to reading her thoughts on this scripture she chose from Isaiah 40:26 "Isaiah 40:26— “Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.”  Her challenge for you is to create a card that depicts any element of heaven—angels, music, clouds, sun, stars, blue, glitter, bling, etc.


Our sponsor this week is Market Street Stamps, a new one for Stampin' Sisters in Christ and we're so pleased to welcome them on board! They are offering a $20 gift card to one lucky, randomly selected stamper who enters our challenge this week, and that person ought to have a lot of fun in their store! 


I loved the little camping set that Market Street carries and bought it a while ago. My camping scene is at 'night' to fit Diane's challenge with my blue sky and stars. That's when we always made s'mores during camping anyhow, you don't make them during the day. 


I love the book of Isaiah, there are so many comforting passages that speak to God's glory and power and creativity. When you were a kid, did you ever lie in a dark field of grass staring up at the night sky and watch the meteor showers or try to identify the constellations? It is amazing to think of how many stars there are and the distance between them and that an almighty God created those stars, the galaxies, and He created me! He doesn't just know each star by name, He knows my name. He knows your name. But if you don't know Him, just ask any of the ladies on the design team how you would get to know God better and any of us would be happy to chat with you. 


Thanks for looking and have a great, creative week!


Stamps: Market Street
Ink: Stazon brown
Paper: SU retired DP, kraft, brown, green, orange and confetti white
Other: copics, die for tag, woodgrain impression plate (PTI), spellbinders nestabilities, twine, ribbon, sizzix die for stars

Stampin' Sisters in Christ...challenge 141 'do not fear'

Happy Sunday stampers! It is time for another challenge from Stampin' Sisters in Christ, where all of our challenges are based upon scripture. Our hostess this week is Candace and our sponsor Sweet n' Sassy stamps. You can read Candace's devotional and find out more about Sweet n' Sassy stamps and the prize one lucky winner will receive this week, on our home page here. Candace has selected this verse from Psalm 118:6 "The Lord is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?" 


Her challenge is for you to do something that you're 'afraid of' CAS style, stitching, vintage look, etc., do something you normally wouldn't do. 


I made peekaboo boxes from a tutorial on splitcoast stampers as I don't usually make 3-D objects. 


Funny, but when there is a theme that you seem to need to hear, it is everywhere. The theme of 'do not fear' or the reassurance that "god is able' has come up for me several times this week. I think fear is something that affects most of us at some time or another, to varying degrees. I know that in my life, if I let it get to me, fear is crippling. There are things I should try and don't, places I should go but don't want to or people I need to approach and instead, avoid. I need this reminder that the Lord, the creator of the universe has not changed. He was with King David, the one who wrote most of the psalms and He is the the same today as He was then, and just as much our protector and defender as he was thousands of years ago. 


We hope you find the time to play along with our challenge this week. We had so many playing last week, it was wonderful to see all of your creations in the gallery! Thanks for looking and have a blessed week. 


Stamps: Flourishes (flowers), PTI (sentiment)
Paper: SU patterned paper, various solid colors
Ink: memento black
Other: copic markers, prima roses, dies, spellbinders petite circles, 1 3/8" circle punch, acetate, pearls

Stampin' Sisters in Christ . . . layers

Happy Sunday stampers! It is time for another challenge from Stampin' Sisters in Christ, where all of our challenges relate to scripture. This week's hostess is my dear friend Traci, who has selected this verse from Ephesians 4:29 "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."


Her challenge is to build up your card by adding layers; paper tole, paper piecing, stacking flowers, you name it! And I was able to use a lovely gift she gave me a while back for part of my 'lifting' in the patterned paper in the background. Thank you Traci!


And we have a new sponsor this week, Tami Mayberry, who is donating one of the amazing stamp sets she has designed to one lucky, randomly selected winner who plays along with our challenge this week. You can find more details and see the rest of the beautiful creations by our design team by clicking on the home page here.  


I used this little Frieda image from the Craft's Meow and lifted up sections of her dress, hat, face, hair and shoes with paper tole, although its hard to tell in the photo. You can sort of tell from the shadows on the paper if you care to strain your eyes that much! 


I like the verse Traci has selected for this week and it is a good one to meditate upon because the tongue is so hard to control, isn't it? Words come 'flying' out before we even know it . . . or do they? The thought has to come into our heads first. And notice the verse doesn't say you can prevent unwholesome thoughts from coming into your head, although if they do we're supposed to chase them away, I believe. But it says, do not let it 'come out of your mouths' acknowledging that there is a thought process that precedes the verbalization.


My daughter right now is going through a phase of saying insulting or disrespectful things and then following it up with the phrase "no offense." She knows she is giving offense and disrespecting her parents or that phrase wouldn't be tacked onto the end, and we are working to explain to her that if you have to add the phrase "no offense" then the words are probably better left unspoken or if you have something to say, say it in a kind manner. She is only ten still testing the boundaries of our parental authority. We understand she is in a learning process. 


What is truly sad is adults who engage in similar practices. I have had 'friends' and relatives in the past who would wound with their words; teasing and needling to the point where my temper was about to go beyond a simmer and boil over and then back off instantly with the phrase "just kidding" or "just teasing" or "can't you take a joke?"


We all know when we're on the receiving end of such treatment, the trick is to take a lesson from those times and make sure we're not the ones dishing it out. And we need to make sure that we press our lips firmly together if someone is dishing it out to us, and not retaliate! Let's all try to watch the words before they fly out of our mouths this week and use words and phrases that will build up the person to whom we're speaking. 


Stamps: The Craft's Meow Frieda, assortment of Rubber Stamp Tapestry
Ink: black Stazon, PTI aqua mist and spring moss, Ranger distress ink spun sugar, SU soft sky
Paper: Papertrey Ink kraft, vanilla, white, blue, patterned paper
Other: nestabilities, fiskars corner punch/embosser, prismacolor pencils, flowers, MS border punch, pearl

Stampin' Sisters in Christ challenge 139 . . two by two

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 our sponsor is Doodle Pantry images, you can find more creations from our design team on the home page right here. We have our expanded design team now so there might be up to 12 lovely project to view and all the ladies are far more talented than I am! 


This week I am the hostess and I chose this verse from Genesis 6:20 "Two of every kind of bird, of every kind of animal and of every kind of creature that moves along the ground will come to you to be kept alive." The challenge this week is to use an animal or bird or living creature in your creation somewhere. And I apologize, I put Exodus in my devotional, I don't know why. Here are the thoughts that prompted that verse selection: 

About six weeks ago I found a toy ark for the new nursery we’re setting up at church; the room for babies up to age two. The ark includes Mr. and Mrs. Noah and several pairs of animals. We all know the story of course, two of every kind of animal went onto the ark to escape the flood. And that’s sort of what we come to expect from life, isn’t it—to be in a pair, a couple, a twosome?

I haven’t volunteered in a nursery for years because although I love the babies and it is a joy to hold them, I have a private struggle with sadness when there.  A lot of the other volunteers are young mothers who are in the room with their own baby. Their husbands come to the door to pick them up and they leave, together. This is a small, new church and a lot of the people are related, so cousins, aunts and uncles, grandparents, are all worshipping and doing life together.

As happy as I am for these families, I have painful recollections of standing on the edge of groups and couples like this in my own child-rearing years, because for much of that time I was a single mom. Week after week, year after year, the kids and I walked through church on the edges and we were alone. 

It happens a lot you know, whatever the circumstances might be; whether you’re single and never been married, divorced, widowed or separated from your family by distance or circumstances beyond your control. Whatever caused those circumstances it feels as though you’re surrounded everywhere by nothing but happy couples; everyone walking through life two by two.

Several chapters away from Genesis in the bible, the psalms appear as soothing balm to the troubled soul. In this instance, Psalm 139 came to my rescue. As intimate as a marriage relationship or the closest bond between friends or even parent and child, more intimate is the relationship between the Lord and me. 1“You have searched me and know me . . . you perceive my thoughts from afar.” 3b“You are familiar with all of my ways. 4Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord.”

Who knows our inmost thoughts our deepest longings, darkest fears and cherished dreams better than the Lord, and who loves us despite and through it all?

15“My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place…”

God made me. How much more intimately can someone know me than the one who created me?

16“All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”

My sudden status as a single mom was no surprise to God. And He was there every step of the way. He supported me when I was down, actually provided and safeguarded my little family in ways that I can only consider miraculous. I was never really alone, I was walking in a twosome with the God of the universe who is not a remote, foreign being but one who knew me and loved me in the best way possible. And one who still loves me and is gently calling me to lay that sadness down once and for all.

I honestly wasn’t expecting a toy, plastic ark to bring to the surface so many of my old hurts and feelings from that painful time. But God knows us and He loves us and doesn’t want us to stay stuck in our past pain. One great way to solve old hurts or new is to seek out answers in the scripture.

You have to search; I don’t know which verse will strike the right chord in your heart.  But when those wounds pop open at the sight of an ark, a tree, or cloud, the sound of an old song or a distant scent that opens the floodgates of a painful memory, start searching through the scriptures to find an answer. You won’t be doing it alone, the God who made you, who loves you is walking with you. 


Thanks for looking and we hope you can play along this week.