Happy 30th Anniversary!

My husband and I recently celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary.  This is the anniversary card I made for him.  As I've mentioned before, he appreciates special card folds and techniques.  Last month I discovered this Adapted Tri-Shutter card on Sandy Allnock's blog.  I thought this would be perfect for his card.  And how appropriate that her blog post went live on what would have been my parents' 69th wedding anniversary! :)  Without getting too mushy on you, let's just say that I have a wonderful husband and the quote on the front is very true.  As with all marriages, we've had good times and bad, but we're a team and we get thru the rough times together.  It's a great understatement to say that I'm very thankful for him.

Sandy designed her adapted tri-shutter to have plenty of room to write a message (the space where my card has the "love you" sentiment).  However, since I wanted my husband to be able to display the card without having all the mushy writing visible, I put an extra stamped sentiment in that space.  I added a writing panel on the back of the card to write a note to him.  All my sentiments were stamped with VersaFine Onyx Black ink and embossed with clear embossing powder. I die cut the various hearts from scraps of the patterned paper.  The striped paper is dry embossed with a heart embossing folder.  Rock Candy Distress Stickles adds dimension to some of the hearts.

Supplies:
Cardstock: Bazzill
Patterned Paper: Papers from Oct 2012 Simon Says Stamp Card Kit
Stamps: Once in Awhile (Stampabilities wood mounted stamp), Always and Forever (Simon Says Stamp clear stamp set), Love You (Hampton Arts-Studio G wood mounted stamp)
Ink:  VersaFine (Onyx Black)
Tools/Embellishments:  Lawn Fawn Lawn Cuts Hearts, ribbon (Really Reasonable Ribbon), Distress Stickles (Rock Candy), Stampin' Up embossing powder (Crystal Clear), The Paper Studio embossing folder (Tiny Hearts)

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes
Clear It Out Challenge - Anything Goes
4 Crafty Chicks Challenge #228 - Anniversary
Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge #209 - Anything Goes
Crafty Ribbons Challenge - Let's Get Sentimental (sentiment is the main image)
Simon Says Stamp Work It Wednesday - Show something you love (that's easy - my hubby :) )

Thanks for stopping by today.  I hope your week is off to a good start.

Starting the Year Off Right

Happy New Year!!  I hope you are all having a good start to 2015.  This week's Word Art Wednesday Challenge focus verse, Psalm 143:8, "Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee," has some clues on how to get our year off to a great start.  In the first phrase, the Psalmist requests that he hear the Lord's voice in the morning.  That means he's starting his day by spending time with the Lord.  He understands that this is a key to getting his day started off right. The second phrase lets us know that he has put his trust in the right thing, the Lord. In the third phrase, he's requesting the Lord's guidance on where he should go and what he should do.  And in the last phrase, he's putting his life (and soul) in the Lord's control.  This is a man that has his priorities in line.  What a great example for us to follow as we start a new year.  In our world today, this mindset of starting the day with the Lord, trusting Him in all things, allowing Him to guide us and putting our life in His hands, is a very unique and unusual concept.  So many people are all about control and "being in charge."  But when I remember that I'm human and makes many mistakes and that God knows all things and NEVER makes a mistake, it just seems like a no-brainer to let Him be in charge.  Now, this isn't to say that sometimes I don't mess us and try to "help" Him.  But, He is patient with me and I soon realize that truly His way is the best way.

For my card this week, I chose a new to me and rather unique card design.  It's called a cascade card and I followed Dawn's tutorial found in this video.  Not only is this a new card fold for me, but I'm also using some new papers my hubby bought me on our 30th anniversary trip and a new Spellbinders die and some flowers that I received for Christmas.  With all that was going on with the card fold, I wanted to make sure the Scripture remained a major focus.  It is die cut and layered on a Picot Edge circle and then accented with pearls, faux stitching, and paper roses.  Adhering the sentiment panel across the entire front provides some stability to the front of the card.

Another bunch of paper roses embellishes the upper left corner.  This small bouquet is tied with a baker's twine bow.

To add stability to the back and to have a place for writing a personal note, I adhered two cardstock panels across the back.  Some more faux stitching and a patterned paper strip complete the back.

Supplies:
Cardstock:  Georgia Pacific (white), Recollections (Admiral Blue)
Patterned Paper:  Jillibean Soup (Neopolitan Bean Bisque)
Wordart:  Diane Noble
Tools/Embellishments: Staedtler fine tip black marker, Spellbinders dies (Picot Edge Circle, Standard Circle Large), baker's twine (The Twinery), pearls (The Paper Studio), flowers (Mikie's Craft red and white roses)

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Scrapbook Blessings Club January Challenge - Cascade Card
Path of Positivity Challenge #22 - Uniqueness (Letting God have control of your life is a unique concept in today's world.  As a symbol of this, I chose a unique card design.)
Sweet Stamps Challenge #203 - Something New (papers, die, flowers, and card fold) 
ABC Challenge  - A is for Anything Goes
Shopping Our Stash Challenge #183 - Use Something New (papers, die, flowers, and card fold)
Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes
Tuesday Throwdown Challenge #226 - Favorite Embellishment (pearls are my favorite embellishment)
Clear It Out Challenge - Anything Goes
Going Gray with Scrap Creations - New (papers, die, flowers, and card fold) 
V's Sweet Ideas Challenge #30 - Something New (papers, die, flowers, and card fold) 

Thanks for stopping by today.  I hope you'll be able to come back often.  As always, please remember to stop by the Word Art Wednesday Blog for your free digi and to see the projects from the rest of the Design Team.

Top Ten Favorites from 2014

Happy New Year!!  I hope you have enjoyed Christmas.  It's hard to believe 2014 is history and 2015 is here.  As a way of saying goodbye to 2014, I thought I'd post some of my favorite projects from the past year.  Clicking the card titles will take you to the original blog post for full card details.

Building Block Valentine - My hubby is so supportive of this addiction hobby and patiently answers my "what does this card need?", "do these colors clash?", etc.  I try to use special folds or techniques when making cards for him.  This was his Valentine and my fist attempt at this fancy fold.

Perfect Peace - This card was made in collaboration with my hubby. He's the one that came up with the idea to make the flower peek thru to the front. I really like the papers and colors on this one.

With Sympathy - On this card, I really like the way the image panel turned out.  The coloring and inked sky actually came together the way I wanted them to on this one.  I also like the colors - restful (which is good for a sympathy card) without being too morbid. 

Prima Shabby Chic - I think the papers, diecuts, seam binding and flower came together well on this one. 

Quote Collection 4 from ODBD - This tri-shutter card showcases some gorgeous paper I found.  I loved it so much I did another project, a notebook, with it in the same post.  The notebook style was my best seller this fall/Christmas season.  The card and notebook use a fantastic set from ODBD.  I've used this set over and over again.
 

Happy Valentine's Day - This card had another cool fold.

I Found a Hug - I love this one because of the sentiment - I think the papers are pretty too.  Deedee's Digis has such cute images and sentiments.

Adoption is Another Word for Love - I really like this shaped card and the heat embossing on the heart.  Rhubarb (the teddy bear) is also a favorite with me. I also think the purpose of the card is fantastic!!

Great Outdoors - While I used a pre-colored image for this one, I did sponge the clouds in the sky.  I really like this adorable cat and the fishing theme is a hit at our house.  It's also my first attempt at a "wiper card."

But Without Faith - I colored this image with Copics and used some of the techniques I learned in the Online Card Class Copic for Card Makers Class I took this fall.  I'm still working on my coloring skills. I really like the colors and papers on this card. 

I've never done this type of post before but it was kind of fun.  I'm linking up with Mynn's Favorite Cards of 2014 linky and with Debby's Favourite Five of 2014.  My "Favourite Five" expanded to my top 10.  :)

Thanks for stopping by and hanging in there thru this long post.  I hope 2015 is full of many blessings for you and your family.

Wisdom from Above

It's time for the last challenge of the year at Word Art Wednesday.  As we head into a new year, and think about new beginnings, new goals, etc., it's good to remember how God defines wisdom.  As our focus verse, James 1:17, says, "But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy."  What a list!  I think most of us would like to be considered wise.  In order to do so, we need to develop these characteristics of wisdom in ourselves.  We are used to seeing pure, peaceable, gentle, full of mercy (merciful), etc.  But one of the items in this list that isn't as common is "easy to be intreated."  According to Dictionary.com "intreated" is the old spelling of our current word entreated.  The same source says the definition of entreated is to ask earnestly for something.  So "easy to be entreated" would mean that it's easy for people to ask us for things.  This means we're approachable, welcoming, and easy to get along with.  Yep, quite the list!  There are eight separate things on this list.  It would be overwhelming to try to work on all eight at one time.  Why not join me in a year long challenge to take each one and work on it for six weeks?  At the end of the first six weeks, add the next trait and so on.  By the end of 2015, we'll be a lot closer to having godly wisdom in our lives.  Please let me know in the comments or via email if you're going to join me.

I went with a masculine gate-fold card this week.  I did some shading on the WORDart banner with a W1 Copic marker.  Some twine, a button and gems complete the front.

For the interior decorating, I fussy cut the Morning Devotions (Gold) digi stamp and and added it to a kraft die cut. Some Glossy Accents were added to the coffee in the cup.  I stamped the sentiment above it.  The kraft image panel is mounted on an embossed die cut panel.

Supplies:
Cardstock:  Georgia Pacific (white), Recollections (kraft, blue)
Patterned Paper:  The Paper Studio
Stamps: WORDart by Karen (James 1:17), Sweet 'n Sassy (Comforting Pines clear stamp set), Clear Dollar Stamps - store now closed (Morning Devotions Gold digi set)
Ink:  Memento (Rich Cocoa)
Tools/Embellishments: Copic Marker (W1, Colorless Blender), twine (Jillibean Soup - Bean Stalks), rhinestones (The Paper Studio), button from stash, Spellbinders dies (Classic Rectangle Large, Deckled Rectangle Large and Small), Glossy Accents, Cuttlebug embossing folder (Basket Weave)

Thanks so much for stopping by today.  I hope 2014 ends well for you and that 2015 gets off to a great start.  Please be sure to stop by the Word Art Wednesday blog and see the rest of the Design Team projects and pick up your free digi.

Once In Every Life...

I have a quick anniversary card to share with you today.  A friend asked for me to make a card for her husband for their anniversary and here is the result.  I used on old sketch from Operation Write Home (sketch #16) as my inspiration.  My pictures don't do the card justice in its simple elegance.

The black patterned paper has romantic words/phrases.  I really like this Bo Bunny pad for weddings/anniversary/romantic cards.  It just has an elegance about it!

The sentiments, inside and out, were stamped with VersaFine ink and then heat embossed with a clear glitter embossing powder.  You can see it a little better in this picture.  I really like the sparkle it adds.

The interior decorating of the card mimics the front but still allows plenty of room for her message.

Supplies:
Cardstock: Georgia Pacific (white), Bazzill (red)
Patterned Paper: Bo Bunny (Enchanted 6x6 pad)
Stamps: Stampabilities wood mount (Once in A While), Mark's Finest Paper (Celebrate Big clear stamp set)
Ink: VersaFine (Onyx Black)
Tools/Embellishments: Darice Whispers embossing powder (Clear Glitter), silver rhinestone flourishes (Want2Scrap Inspire Swirls by Nina Brackett), My Favorite Things Die-namics (Blueprints 1)

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Sentimental Sunday Challenge #237 - Anything Goes
Clear It Out Challenge - Anything Goes
Fan-tastic Tuesday Challenge #66 - Anniversary card
Penny Paper-Crafty Challenge #208 - Anything Goes
Divas by Design - Anything Goes
Cute Card Thursday Challenge #352 - Sparkles (gems and glitter embossing)

Thanks for stopping by to visit today.  I hope you'll come back soon and often.  :)

Being Confident

Hi!  I hope your week is going well.  It's time for another challenge at Word Art Wednesday.  This week our focus verse is Philippians 1:6, "Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ."  This time of year, we hear a lot of talk about faith and beliefs.  Why don't we hear consistent talk about the same topics all year long?  After all, what we believe and our faith in the Lord shouldn't be like a shirt we put on and take off at our convenience.  We are supposed to be consistent witnesses for the Lord.  Our faith in Him should be ever growing and deepening.  Obviously, we can not successfully live the Christian life on our own.  We need help -- from the Lord.  That's where today's verse comes into play.  It is a promise that He that began this work in us (when we received Him as Savior) will perform it (continue working) until the day of Jesus Christ (when we are Home with Him in Heaven).  What a great promise!  We're not in this life alone.  He's right there beside us helping us, continuing to work on us and won't leave us.

 Deedee's Digis is one of our sponsors this week.  I hope you'll play along with us so that you can have a chance to win some free digis stamps. Like most of you, this is a busy time for me.  I've been a bit swamped with custom orders the last month or so (that's a good thing!).  So, I took a little help with today's card and used one of Deedee's Digis pre-colored digis from the Love One Another set.  I thought it went well with today's verse - after all, getting a cat and mouse to get along would take on-going work.  :) The critters' noses are accented with Glossy Accents for a little dimension and shine.  The kitty's collar got some attention from my Wink of Stella glitter pen.  I used a copic marker to provide a little shading and ground the image.

I used lots of scraps on this card.  The scalloped die cuts remind me of a shop awning.  The button die is from the My Favorite Things Blueprints 1 die-namics set.  I love that die set!!  Some baker's twine finishes off the front.  The interior got just a little decorating.

For the Top Tip Tuesday Challenge we're to include a picture of what around our home inspired us.  My kitty, Sasha, is the inspiration for using the gray kitty (and why I tend to color all cats gray).  She has been my scrapbooking and card making supervisor ever since she was a kitten.

Supplies:
Sketch:  MOJO Monday (MOJO221)
Cardstock:  Georgia Pacific, Bazzill
Patterned Paper:  kaiser Craft (Chanteuse Collection)
Digi Stamps:  WORDart by Karen (Philippians 1:6), Deedee's Digis (Love One Another)
Tools/Embellishments:  Copic Marker (W1), baker's twine (The Twinery), Spellbinders Dies (Big Scalloped Border Petites), My Favorite Things Die-namics (Blueprints 1), Glossy Accents, Wink of Stella brush marker (Clear)

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Path of Positivity Challenge #21 - Faith
Top Tip Tuesday - Inspiration from your home
Clear It Out Challenge - Anything Goes
Sentimental Sunday Challenge #237 - Anything Goes
ABC Challenge - Z is for Zany (fun/quirky image)
Penny's Paper Crafty Challenge #208 - Anything Goes

Thanks so much for visiting with me today.  I really appreciate you taking the time to stop by.  I hope you'll have time to play along with us this week for your chance to win some free digis from Deedee's Digis.  Don't forget to stop by the Word Art Wednesday blog to get your free digi and see the other projects from the rest of the Design Team.

Good Tidings of Great Joy

It is time for another challenge at Word Art Wednesday.  This week our focus verse is Luke 2:10, "And the angel said unto them, Fear Not; for, behold, I being you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people."  Christ's birth was the greatest news (tidings) that have ever been given.  Wouldn't it have been neat to have been an angel that got to tell people the good news of His birth?  It would have also been pretty cool (and yes, my knees would have been knocking to see and hear the angels talking to me) to hear the news straight from the angels.  Let's be sure to share the Good News of the Gospel with others so that they too can know the "Good Tidings of Great Joy."

I kept my card pretty simple today.  This card is an adaptation of Dawn Griffith's Trim the Tree Christmas card.  I follow Dawn on YouTube and really enjoy her projects.  I also returned to some old favorites: inking the edges of my papers and faux stitching.

The interior has a little bit of decoration too.

Supplies:
Cardstock: DCWV (Christmas & Winter 12x12 cardstock pad), Recollections (cream)
Patterned Paper: DCWV (Heirloom Christmas 12x12 stack)
Digi Stamp: WORDart by Karen (Luke 2:10)
Ink:  Distress Ink (Vintage Photo)
Tools/Embellishments: Staedtler fine tip marker (brown), ribbon (Hobby Lobby), rhinestones (The Paper Studio), Spellbinders dies (Petite Ovals Small, Petite Scalloped Ovals Large), Fiskars border punch (Apron Lace)

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Bling it On!
Pile It On Challenge #49 - Christmas/Holiday
Scrapbook Blessings Club - Holiday theme
Shopping Our Stash Challenge #180 - Favorite technique (inking and faux stitching)
Going Gray with Scrap Creations - Christmas
Cuttlebug Mania - Anything Christmas


Thanks for stopping by today.  I hope you'll have time to play along with us this week.  Please don't forget to stop by the Word Art Wednesday Blog and see what the rest of the Design Team made and pick up your free digi.

Glory to God in the Highest

This card has LOTS of embossing.  I used Versamark with gold embossing powder for the images and sentiments.  The front panel was embossed with a Cuttlebug folder and then accented with a gold Wink of Stella pen.  I have had the CTMH stamp set for several years and have always had trouble stamping this city-scape.  This time I tried it with my Fiskar's stamp press and had no problems getting a good stamped image.

The front panel is popped up over the gold embossed main image.

The inside has a lot more gold embossing.  The flourishes are from an old BG Figgy Pudding stamp set.  The Merry Christmas is a Stampendous set and the verse is from Mark's Finest Papers.  It's hard to believe but I used four stamp sets on this card and NONE of them were digis.  :)

Supplies:
Carstock: Georgia Pacific (white), Bazzill (red)
Stamps (all clear stamp sets): CTMH (Bethlehem -retired), Basic Grey (Figgy Pudding), Stampendous (Christmas Wishes), Mark's Finest Papers (Christmas Music)
Ink: Versamark
Tools/Embellishments: Spellbinders dies (Rectangles Large), StampCraft embossing powder (Gold), CuttleBug embossing folder (Baby's Breath), Zig Wink of Stella brush marker (Gold)

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Sentimental Sundays Challenge #235 - Lots of Layers
Scrapbook Blessings Club Challenge #35 - Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Christmas
Eureka Stamps Challenge #117 - Celebrations
Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes
Fan-Tastic Tuesday #64 - Embossing
PDE Linky Party - Christmas
ABC Challenge - Yuletide
Divas By Design - Feeling Festive
Pile it on Challenge #48 - Sprinkle It (use anything you sprinkle on your project - glitter/embossing powder/flocking/etc.)
Outlawz Twisted Thursday (TT120414) - Anything Goes with the "Twist" of Christmas

Thanks for stopping by today.  I hope you'll visit again soon.

Thou Shalt Call His Name Jesus...

Hi!  I'm glad you stopped by today.  Since it's Wednesday, that means it's time for another Word Art Wednesday challenge.  This week our focus verse is Matthew 1:21, "And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus; for he shall save his people from their sins."  As we anticipate Christmas, it's easy to overlook the real reason we celebrate.  Jesus' birth is truly the "reason for the season."  Jesus came to earth so that one day He could go to the cross to die for our sins.  Many people love to talk about the baby in the manger.  However, talking about Jesus dying on the cross is not quite so popular.  But this is a core belief of our faith.  If Jesus hadn't come to die for our sins, we could have no home in Heaven.  That He was willing to give up the glories of Heaven for a season to come to live here on earth just because He loved us...Wow!  If that doesn't give us cause to celebrate then I don't know what does. Let's not forget Whose birthday we're celebrating!

I love this Away in a Manger digi set from Deedee's Digis.  I thought it was perfect to illustrate the focus verse this week.  

The image was colored with Copics and die cut.  I used some clear Wink of Stella on the baby blanket.  It added a little shimmer to got along with the shimmer in the snowflakes and gems.

The inside has a few more snowflakes and gems.  There's faux stitching and doodling inside and out.

Supplies:
Cardstock: Georgia Pacific (white), DCWV (blue), WorldWin (vellum),  scrap of glitter cardstock
Patterned Paper: Basic Grey (Figgy Pudding)
Stamps:  WORDart by Karen (Matthew 1:21), Deedee's Digis (Away in a Manger)
Copics: R20; Y35, 38; YR21; N3; B000, 21, 23; W1; E00, 11, 31, 33, 35, 37
Tools/Embellishments: Spellbinders Dies (Petite Oval Large, Petite Scalloped Oval Large, Create-a-Flake 4), My Favorite Things Die-namics (Blueprints 1), Queen & Co rhinestones, Staedtler fine tip marker (black), Zig Wink of Stella brush marker (clear)

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Outlawz Friday Coloring Challenge (CPC112814) - Anything Goes with a Christmas Twist
Scrapbook Blessing Club Challenge #35 - Anything Goes
Sentimental Sunday Challenge #235 - Lots of Layers
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Holiday Cards
Eureka Stamps Challenge #117 - Celebrations
Shopping Our Stash Challenge #179 - Free is Good (the snowflake dies and Staedtler markers were gifts and I received both digis for free)
Tuesday Throwdown Challenge #223 - Bling It On
Cuttlebug Mania - Snowflake(s) and a sentiment
PDE Linky Party - Christmas
Digi Chooseday Week 48 - Christmas

V's Sweet Challenge #29 - Holiday Theme
Path of Positivity Challenge #21 - Faith

Thanks so much for stopping by today.  As always, I'd encourage you to stop by the Word Art Wednesday blog for inspiration and to pick up your free digi.

Every Good Gift

I hope your week is going well and that you will be able to spend time with loved ones tomorrow.  For the new challenge at Word Art Wednesday, our focus verse reminds us where gifts come from.  "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." James 1:17  This is a great verse to reflect upon as we think about all our blessings tomorrow.  We need to remember that the Lord is the source of all good gifts/blessings and be thankful to Him for them.  It seems that Thanksgiving gets greatly overlooked and we got straight from Back-to-School into Christmas.  However, I really enjoy the day to reflect on all the blessings (or gifts as this verse says) that the Lord has given to us.  What a loving and kind Father we have in the Lord.

This week I took a break from fall colors and used this verse to emphasize that people can be gifts as well.  This verse is on the front of a birthday card that is intended to let the recipient know that they are considered a great gift from the Lord.  One of our sponsors this week is Robyn's Fetish Digital Stamps.  Some of the DT were generously provided with images to use this week and I got to play with Pretty Flowers.  The flowers were colored with Copics and then the centers were accented with Diamond Stickles.  Mojo Monday Sketch 271 was the inspiration for the card design.

I did some interior decorating and was able to carry the flower theme to the inside my highlighting just one of the flowers in the image.  The finished card is just under 5"x7".

Supplies:
Cardstock:  Bazzill (yellow, blue), Georgia Pacific (white)
Patterned Paper:  Pebbles (Family Ties)
Stamps:  WORDart by Karen (James 1:17), Robyn's Fetish Digital Stamps (Happy Flowers), Hero Arts wood block stamp (Special Birthday)
Ink:  VersaFine (Onyx Black)
Copics: YG03, 05; Y11, 13, 15, 17; B000, 23, 26
Tools/Embellishments: Staedtler fine tip marker (dark blue), Offray ribbon, Stickles (Diamond), pearls (The Paper Studio), Spellbinders dies (Standard Circle Large, Petite Scalloped Circle Large, Rectangle Large, Big Scalloped Border Petites), Marvy Circle Punch

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Scrapbook Blessings Club Challenge #34 - Anything Goes
Shopping Our Stash Challenge #179 - Free is Good (Use something you got for free - I received the two digi stamps, the Staedtler marker and the ribbon for free)
Papertake Weekly - Take Your Pick (I chose the Product Theme - Ribbon and/or Lace)
Sweet Stamps Challenge #197 - Bordered Sentiment
V's Sweet Ideas Challenge #28 - Anything Goes

I hope you'll be able to find time this week to play along.  Our generous sponsors have some wonderful prizes to be won.  There's also a free digi and lots of inspiration from the rest of the DT over on the Word Art Wednesday blog.

I am thankful for each of you that comes to visit me here.  Your comments are read and greatly appreciated.

Happy Thanksgiving!!