Rejoice Evermore

Happy Wednesday!! It's time for a new challenge at Word Art Wednesday. This week our theme verse is from 1 Thessalonians 5:16-17, "Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing." Obviously we cannot be praying 24/7. You have to sleep sometime. :) Seriously, I think the writer is talking about the attitudes of our heart. We should have a heart that is consistently rejoicing.We should have a prayerful attitude at all times. Prayer isn't something that you can only do in church. Nor do we have to be on our knees with our eyes closed and hands folded. Prayer, after all, is a conversation with God. We can (and should) slip in and out of that conversation all day long.

This week our sponsor is Taylored Expressions. They were extra generous with the Design Team and gave us some wonderful products to use. I have so many ideas running through my head on how to use the various stamp sets. I can't wait to get back to my craft room! You will definitely being seeing these sets again! I couldn't keep my projects to just one this week so I have four to share with you. Since there are so many, I'm just going to give a supply list after each card rather than linking all the supplies at the end of my post.

For my first card, I printed this week's free Word Art Wednesday WORDart digi directly only my patterned paper. On the background patterned paper, I repeatedly stamped the Graphic Greetings Redeemer stamp with Chocolate Truffle hybrid ink using the second generation stamping technique. I just wanted a subtle look and it turned out just like I hoped it would. I've been needing a good dark brown ink and this Chocolate Truffle ink is just what I needed. Since it's a hybrid ink, I will be able to use it with my Copics as well as watercolor techniques. Love it! I used some die cut borders to set off the sentiment panel. Before adhering this panel to the background, I wrapped light brown baker's twine around it several times and then tied a small bow. Faux stitching, a few pearls and some clear sequins finish off this card. This is a soft "quiet" card, but I really like letting the papers and the subtle stamping carry the design. The card is 5.5" square.

Supplies Used:
Cardstock: Recollections (cream), Bazzill (kraft)
Patterned paper: WRMK Anthologie 6x6 (this is an old pad of paper and these were my last bits from it)
Stamps: WORDart by Karen (1 Thessalonians 5:16-17), Taylored Expressions (Graphic Greetings Redeemer)
Ink: Taylored Expressions Premium Hybrid mini ink pad (Chocolate Truffle)
Dies: Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps (Lacey Eyelet Border - retired)
Embellishments: The Paper Studio (pearls), Simon Says Stamp (Assorted Moonshine Sequins), Staedtler Fine Tip Marker (Brown), Studio G (brown baker's twine)

For my next card I went bold and bright. I repeatedly stamped the image from the Cherish Every Moment stamp set on my cardstock. After coloring the flowers and background with various Copic markers, I cut it to 4" square. I heat embossed the sentiment from this set on a strip of Premium Vellum and centered the greeting on the floral panel. After attaching the vellum on the back of the floral panel it was mounted on black cardstock and then adhered to a 4.25" square card base. A few turquoise and clear sequins were all the embellishment this bright, cheery card needed.

Supplies Used:
Cardstock: Georgia Pacific (white), Recollections (black), Taylored Expressions (Premium Vellum)
Stamps: Taylored Expressions (Cherish Every Moment)
Ink: Memento (Tuxedo Black), VersaMark
Embellishments: Copic Markers, The Paper Studio (turquoise sequins), Simon Says Stamp (White Fine Detail embossing powder, Assorted Moonshine sequins

I just love the Graphic Greetings Redeemer stamp. It has so many wonderful names of our Lord. I just had to do a card that let it really be the focal point. I started with a Z-fold card and then rotated it 90 degrees so that the card opens up vertically (maybe the picture below will help that make sense). Other than a die cut border and matting, there are no other embellishments to take to focus away from this great stamped image.

When you open the card, you can still see the focal image and there is a panel to allow you room to write a message to the recipient.

Supplies Used:
Cardstock: Georgia Pacific (white), Recollections (black)
Patterned Paper: Basic Gray (Hillside 6x6 pad)
Stamp: Graphic Greetings Redeemer
Ink: VersaFine (Onyx Black)
Die: Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps (Lacey Eyelet Border - retired)

For my last card, I used an Operation Write Home Sketch (#123) for my starting point. Our daughter works with books (Book Reviewer, Book Podcast co-host and Book 'Tuber) and I'd had been looking for a good book stack stamp for a long time. When I saw the In Other Words - Read set, I knew I had to have it. The image and sentiments are perfect for her. I have so many ideas for other projects but we'll have to get to them another time. :) After stamping and coloring the image with Copic markers, I fussy cut it out. This sentiment is such fun and has such a bold look. The stack of books is popped up on foam squares and enamel dots add the final embellishment.

Supplies Used:
Cardstock: Georgia Pacific (white), Recollections (black)
Patterned Paper: Basic Gray (Hillside 6x6 pad)
Stamps: Taylored Expressions (In Other Words - Read)
Ink: Memento (Tuxedo Black), VersaFine (Onyx Black)
Embellishments: Copic Markers, MME enamel dots

If you've made it this far, thanks for hanging in there with me. I thoroughly enjoyed using these Taylored Expressions stamps and products. I hope you'll stop by to visit their online store. I'm sure you'll find something there that you will love. They even have a great Loyalty Program. You can set up an account and check out the details here. I know I will be wanting more of their stamps and inks. The stamps stamp so well right out of the package. They are nice cling stamps and work well with the MISTI or an acrylic block. Thanks again to Taylor for her generosity.

Some of their Design Team has joined ours so there is lots of Taylored Expressions inspiration on the Word Art Wednesday blog today. Be sure to grab a cup of coffee/tea/cappuccino, sit back and enjoy all the fantastic projects. Be sure to pick up your free digi. Thanks for visiting with me today. I hope you'll visit again soon.