Ephesians 6-11

Happy New Year! I hope each of you had a wonderful Christmas and 2019 is off to a good start for you. It's time for the first Word Art Wednesday challenge of the year. This week we're focusing on Ephesian 6:11, "Put on the whole armour of God that ye may be ale to stand again the wiles of the devil." What a great way to start off a new year, putting on the armor of God. Verses 14-17 in Ephesians 6 talk about the pieces of armor in more detail. We're to put on truth, righteousness, preparation of the gospel of peace, salvation, faith and arm ourselves with the Word of God. The beginning of the year is when we sort of reevaluate how our lives are going and decide to make changes. This year, let's make sure that we put some more effort into our spiritual lives and grow closer to the Lord. This will take different forms for different people. For some, it will mean starting a regular quiet time with the Lord. For others, it will mean increasing the time spent with the Lord and maybe adding Scripture memory or reading through the Bible at least once in the year. I would encourage you to spend some time in prayer and ask the Lord what changes you need to make to draw closer to Him. It will be time well spent.

Those who have followed me for awhile know I love sketches. For this card, I used Mojo Monday Sketch 459. I was gifted some Anna Giffin paper and red sequins as part of a card kit. I used those papers and added some sequins from my stash and a heart die cut for the embellishment. The centers of the sequins have Nuvo Glitter Drops in them.

Supplies:
Cardstock: The Paper Studio Heavyweight cardstock (cream card base), Recollections (cream, kraft), Bazzill (Peanut Fudge, Peanut Cluster)
Patterned Paper: Anna Griffin
Stamps: WORDart by Karen (Ephesians 6:11), Lawn Fawn (Woodgrain Backdrops)
Ink: VersaMark
Tools/Embellishments: Taupe sequins (The Paper Studio), Red Sequins (unknown), Nuvo Glitter Drops (White Blizzard), Simon Says Stamp embossing powder (clear)

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Crop Stop Linky #46 - Use items/brands found in the Crop Stop Store (Fiskars, Tsukineko, Tonic Studio, CuttleBug, Scotch)
Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes 
Outlawz Twisted Thursday Challenge - Anything Goes 

I hope you'll have a chance to stop by the Word Art Wednesday blog to see the projects from the rest of the DT and to pick up your free digi. We also hope you will link up your cards and play along with us. Thanks for stopping by today -- come back soon!

Most Viewed Posts in 2018

I enjoy looking back to see which blog posts received the most views for the past year. This year I have to do a top eleven because the #9 spot had a 3-way tie. Thank you to all of you who have visited my blog this past year and an extra thank you to those who have left a comment of encouragement. You are a blessing to me. I hope you'll visit often in 2019. Happy New Year!!

Click each card title link to be taken to the blog post for card details & supply list.


# 9-11 Post for 2018 (3-way tie)

Love You So Much

Mighty Waves of the Sea

God Gives Wisdom

#8 Post for 2018

Following the Shepherd 

#7 Post for 2018

Sunflower Season 

#6 Post for 2018

Be Ye Strong 

#5 Post for 2018

Thanks a Latte! 

#4 Post for 2018

Because of His Lovingkindness 

#3 Post for 2018

Our Guide 

#2 Post for 2018

Paper Sweeties 6th Birthday Challenge 

#1 Post for 2018

Ye Shall Not Fear Them

  

Snowball Kisses

Today I'm sharing the card I made for my husband to celebrate our 34th wedding anniversary. For the card design I used Mojo Monday Sketch 504. I stamped a sentiment on a heart die cut and added snowflake and small heart die cuts as embellishments. What doesn't show up well in the photo is all the sparkle that the stickles I used adds to the card. The large heart and the snowflakes in the background paper have stickles scattered all over them.

Since the card is 5.5" square, I made a custom envelope and decorated it as well. I used a heart die cut as a "stamp" on the envelope.

I did some interior decorating as well by using a matted strip of the patterned paper and some snowflake and heart die cuts.

Supplies:
Cardstock: Recollections (dark red, kraft, cream)
Patterned Paper: Carta Bella (Let it Snow 6x6 pad)
Stamp: Impression Obsession (I bought it years ago at a warehouse sale out of an unmounted stamp bin)
Tools/Embellishments: Gina Marie Designs dies (Stitched Hearts), Spellbinders dies (Create a Snowflake), Stickles (diamond)

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Crop Stop Linky #46 - Used items/brands from Crop Stop Store (I used Ranger, Fiskars, Scotch, Spellbinders, Cuttlebug)
Dare 2B Artzy - Winter
Outlawz Twisted Thursday Challenge - Anything Goes

I couldn't resist a little reminiscing so I'll share one of my favorite pictures from our wedding. Like all couples who have been married any length of time, we've had joys and sorrows and I couldn't imagine traveling the road of life with anyone else.

Thanks for stopping by today. I'll be back tomorrow with my Most Viewed Posts in 2018.

Mia's Rose Creations

Today, I don't have a card to share but I wanted to share this new handmade jewelry Etsy shop, Mia's Rose Creations with you. The jewelry designs are not only unique, but also gorgeous and well made. I own a couple of the bracelets and bought some other pieces as gifts. I was thrilled with the quality and the recipient of my gifts was also very pleased. She told me that she received several compliments on her new jewelry.

I asked Missy if I could use some of her pictures so that I could tell you about her jewelry. She said I could so I picked some of my favorites from the shop to show you below. Be sure to visit for the full selection. If you don't see what you want, ask her about it because I think she does some custom designs. Also, check back often because she frequently has new pieces to add to the shop.

I LOVE these White Turquoise Dangle Earrings. I think they are gorgeous and would look great with the bracelet below. I don't wear dangle earrings but if I did, I would be giving these a new home!

I really like the shades of gray and white in this White Howlite Bracelet. It's such an elegant piece of jewelry and would go with so many different outfits.

This Shiny Teal Faceted Bracelet with the Tree of Life Charm just might be my favorite bracelet currently available in her shop.  I love the color and all the shine of the faceted beads.

This 3 PK Bracelet set is so pretty. They would look nice worn separately or all together. The neutral color means they'll go with so many different outfits. I really like the way the faceted beads pick up the light.

I think this Dark Smokey Gray Crystal Prism necklace would make a bold statement and look so pretty with a turtle neck or sweater.

I only picked five pieces to share with you today but Missy has many more beautiful necklaces, earrings, bracelets to sell individually or in sets. She has druzy jewelry in several different colors.

I hope you'll visit Mia's Rose Creations and see all the beautiful things Missy has available. If you are already done with your Christmas shopping, don't forget that Valentine's Day is just around the corner.

Let Us Worship and Bow Down

Happy Wednesday!! It's hard to believe this is our last Word Art Wednesday challenge for 2018. We have some fantastic sponsors lined up for 2019 so be sure to continue to join us in the new year. This week we are focusing on Psalm 95:6, "O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker." What a great way to spend Christmas and finish out the year! Christmas is Jesus' birthday so let's not forget Him in all the holiday hustle and bustle. Let's remember that He is the greatest of gifts. He definitely deserves our worship, adoration and praise. There are two Christmas Eve traditions that I treasure. The first one is that before everyone goes to bed on Christmas Eve, my husband would read the account of Jesus' birth from either Matthew or Luke. It helped remind all of us why we were celebrating. We would usually pray together as a family and thank the Lord for coming as a baby. Later, after everyone else was in bed, I would bring out and arrange the gifts under the tree and stuff the stockings. Then with just the tree lights on, I'd sit and enjoy the tree and thank the Lord for the provision on the gifts I'd just arranged and for the ones who would be receiving them. I would thank Him for allowing me to enjoy the relationship with each one. It was a quiet time with the Lord after all the busy-ness of Christmas Day preparations. Do you have a similar way to quiet your heart and worship the Lord? If not, this would be a great year to start a new tradition of your own.

For my card this week, I used Freshly Made Sketches #249. One of our sponsors for this week, Stamp Simply Ribbon Store, generously provided us with some of their products to use. I was able to use the fantastic Fishtail Sentiment Banners on this card. I love how well the dies cut and I was even able to get them to cut the difficult-to-die-cut glitter paper I used. There are 10 dies in the set with three nesting designs. I know I'll be reaching for this set again and again. It's hard to see in the picture, but I used some stickles on all the small stars in the patterned paper and as accents on the verse panel.

Supplies:
Cardstock: Recollections Heavy Weight for card base (cream), Recollections regular weight for sentiment panel, Ms. Sparkle glitter paper, Bazzill cardstock (green)
Stamps: WORDart by Karen
Tools/Embellishments: Stamp Simply Ribbon Store dies (Fishtail Sentiment Banners), Stickles (diamond)

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
CropStop December Link Party #46 - Use items/brands found in the Crop Stop Store (Cuttlebug, Ranger, Scotch, Fiskars)
Use Your Stuff Challenge #341 - Christmas/Holidays

I hope you'll have time to stop by the Word Art Wednesday blog and see the rest of the Design Team projects and to pick up your free digi. Also, please visit our fantastic sponsors! Thanks for stopping by for a visit. Come back soon!! Merry Christmas!!

Bethlehem

Happy Wednesday!! It's time for another Word Art Wednesday Challenge. This week we are focusing on Micah 5:2, "But thou, Bethlehem, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel: whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting." I love how Christ's coming as a babe in the manger was prophesied hundreds of years before He was born. This verse is just one of the prophecies. As we're in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season, let's not forget Whose birthday it really is.

For my card this week, I use some techniques inspired by this Metallic Stenciling video of Jennifer McGuire's. I loved how she used heat embossing on metallic cardstock and how she used texture paste with embossing powder. I stamped snowflakes on silver foil cardstock with embossing ink and then used a Liquid Platinum embossing powder over it. I die cut the stars using stitched star dies from our sponsor Gina Marie Designs. While the silver cardstock was still in the die, I spread modeling paste over them. After carefully removing the die, I sprinkled Liquid Platinum embossing powder over the paste and set it aside for 5-10 while I cleaned up the dies and spatula. Then I used the heat gun on the stars. It really gave them a neat texture as the paste bubbled up. The background cardstock is a Metallic White Gold and has a nice subtle shimmer. There is a strip of the silver foil cardstock (it looks black in the photo) matted on the burgundy cardstock going across the card. This card has a lot of shimmer and shine.

I heat embossed a sentiment and flurry of snowflakes on white gold cardstock on the inside using the same Liquid Platinum embossing powder. The same flurry and embossing powder were also used on the emvelope.

Supplies: 
Cardstock: Park Lane #110 (white card base), Neenah Metallic (White Gold), Ms. Sparkle Glitter and Foil Paper Pad (Gold and Silver), Recollections (Burgundy), Georgia Pacific (white for sentiment panel)
Stamps: WORDart by Karen (Micah 5:2), Inkadinkado clear stamp set (Snowflakes a Plenty), Verses cling mount stamp (His Presence)
Ink: VersaMark
Tools/Embellishments: Ranger embossing powder (Liquid Platinum), Teresa Collins Modeling Paste, Stickles (Diamon), Our Daily Bread Desings dies (Double Stitched Rectangles), My Favorite Things dies (Blueprints 1), Gina Marie Designs dies (Stitched Stars)

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Simon Says Monday Challenge -  B is for....(Bethlehem)
Tuesday Throwdown #420 - Anything Goes
Crop Stop December Challenge #46 - Use items/brands found in the Crop Stop Store (I used Ranger, Scotch, Fiskars, Cuttlebug, Tsukineko)
Dare 2B Artzy December Challenge - Winter

Thanks for visiting with me today. I hope you'll have time to stop by the Word Art Wednesday blog to see what the rest of the Design Team has made and to check out our fantastic sponsors. Have a good week!

Voice of Thanksgiving

It's time for a new challenge at Word Art Wednesday. As we look at our focus verse for this challenge, we see that it is all about praising the Lord and bringing glory to His name. We are to tell others of all the wonderful things He has done for us and to do so with thanksgiving. It is a privilege to thank the Lord for what He’s done.

Daily gratitude challenges are popular on social media during the month of November. I’ve seen them criticized because “we should be thankful every day, not just during one month of the year.” That is absolutely true. However, being humans, we tend to be forgetful. Do we truly express our gratitude daily? If so, do we do so publicly? I don’t think there’s anything wrong with a challenge to remind us to be grateful for everything, big and small, with which the Lord has blessed us. And, just maybe, after expressing our thanksgiving for 30 days, we’ll develop the habit to continue even after November is long gone.

Expressing our thanksgiving to the Lord for the wonderful things He has done in our lives is important in our daily quiet time with Him. It is a type of worship to acknowledge how He’s working in our lives and thanking Him for it. It is also a great testimony to others to openly express our gratitude for the blessings we have and to give the Lord the praise for those things. It’s more than saying, “I’m thankful I have a good job.” Believers and non-believers would express the same. It brings the Lord glory for us to say, “I’m so thankful that the Lord worked out the details for me to have such a good job.” This puts the focus where it belongs. Developing a spirit of thankfulness and expressing it opening and frequently will lift our own spirits and change our attitude. Let’s not only be thankful people, but let us also be open in expressing our thanksgiving to the Lord.

For this week's sketch I used Sweet Sunday Sketch #218 with the measurements given by Kristie Marcotte in this blog post as my inspiration for the card design. One of our sponsors this week is The Stamp Simply Ribbon Store. Then generously gave me the Sunflower Season stamp set to use. I stamped the image and colored it with Copic Markers. After die cutting and matting it, the image panel was adhered to the front of the card. I used my own digi stamp of this week's focus verse and cut it into a flag shape, matted it and adhered it to the bottom right side of the card. Some Stickles in the middle of the flower add the final touch of sparkle.

Supplies:
Sketch - Sweet Sunday Sketch #218
Cardstock: Park Lane #110 white for card base, Georgia Pacific white for sentiment, Copic Paper for Markers for image, Bazzill (Gold Coins, Mud Pie) Recollections (kraft), Orange brand unknown
Patterned Paper - Authentique (Pioneer Plaid)
Stamps - Psalm  26:7 (my own digi design), Stamp Simply clear stamps (Sunflower Season)
Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black
Copics - Y15, 17, 19; YG21, 23, 35; W1, 3, 7
Tools/Embellishments - Our Daily Bread Designs dies (Double Stitched Rectangles, Double Stitched Pennant Flags), Stickles (Cinnamon)

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Crop Stop Challenge #45 - Use items/brands found in the Crop Stop Store (I used Ranger, Memento, Fiskars, Scotch, Cuttlebug)
Crafty Creations Challenge #377 - Anything Goes

Thanks for visiting with me today. I hope you'll come back soon.

Autumn Arrangement

Hello!! I truly haven't fallen off the face of the earth. I messed up my back and have been spending the last few weeks recovering. Anyway, it's time for another challenge at Word Art Wednesday. This week we're focusing on Proverbs 9:10, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the holy is understanding." The fear talked about in this verse is a reverential respect for the Lord. This leads to a submission to the Lord in whatever He wants us to do.When we submit ourselves to the Lord, we can learn what it truly means to be wise. When we learn to trust the Lord, and have that level of respect (fear) for Him, we can understand what does and doesn't please Him. I truly believe this reverential respect for the Lord is a very necessary element for living a life that pleases the Lord.

I'm still easing back into crafting so I used Mojo Monday Sketch #453 (with the measurements as figured out by Kristie Marcotte on her blog post here) for my card design. I colored the image with copics quite awhile ago but I lost my notes that listed the colors I used. Some glossy accents in the middle of the flowers adds some dimension and a bit of shine. The image was fussy cut and adhered to an embossed panel that was matted and popped up over the background papers. The sentiment was trimmed into a fishtail banner, matted and also popped up over the background. The little flag at the top left of the card is the final embellishment.

Supplies:
Card base: Park Lane #110 cardstock (white)
Cardstock: Bazzill
Patterned Paper: Echo Park (The Perfect Autumn 6 x 6 pad)
Digi Stamps: WORDart by Karen (Proverbs 9:10), Deedee's Digis (Autumn Blessings - store closed)
Tools/Embellishments - Copic Markers, Cuttle Bug embossing folder (Basket Weave), Glossy Accents

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Use Your Stuff Challenge #335 - Mood Board Challenge
Addicted to Stamps Challenge #167 - Autumnal Colors
Crop Stop Link Party #44 - Use items/brands found in the Crop Stop Online Store (I used Cuttlebug, Fiskars, Scotch, Ranger Glossy Accents)
Dare 2B Artzy October Challenge - Fall

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you'll come back soon. I also hope you'll check out the projects on the Word Art Wednesday blog that were made by the rest of the DT. 

Sunflower Season

This week at Word Art Wednesday, our sponsor is Stamp Simply. Earlier this year, they were kind enough to send me two stamp sets. I have three cards to share with you today featuring the image from one of the sets and sentiments from both.

This first card uses the image from Sunflower Seasons. I stamped it with Versafine ink on some watercolor paper and then used Distress markers and a water brush to color it. I used Freshly Made Sketches #249 for my card design. Some Wink of Stella glitter marker in the center of the flower adds some sparkle. The sentiment is from the Thinking of You Rose stamp set and was heat embossed on a strip of watercolor paper.

Cardstock: Park Lane (#110 white for cardbase), Bazzill (brown), Strathmore Cold Press Watercolor Paper
Patterned Paper: Echo Park (A Perfect Autumn 6 x 6 pad)
Stamps: Stamp Simply (Sunflower Season, Thinking of You Rose)
Ink: Versafine (Onyx Black)
Distress Markers: Shabby Shutters, frayed Burlap, Fossilized Amber, Wild Honey, Spiced Marmalade
Tools/Embellishments: Gina Marie Designs (enamel dots), Zig Wink of Stella Glitter Brush Pen (clear), Simon Says Stamp embossing powder (clear)

I'm entering this card in the following challenge: 
Crop Stop Challenge #443 - Use item or brand from the Crop Stop online store (I used Fiskars, Tsuineko, Ranger/Distress and Bazzill.

For the next card, the sunflower image was repeatedly stamped on watercolor paper with VersaMark ink and white heat embossed. Distress inks and a water brush were used to color the image. The sentiment, also from the Sunflower Seasons stamp set was heat embossed on a piece of vellum. A kraft frame was die cut and the vellum strip was adhered behind it. Foam tape was used to raise the frame up above the water colored panel. The framed panel was matted with cardstock before being adhered to the card base. Some glossy dots finish off the card. My card design was based off a sketch by My Favorite Things (MFTWSC247).


Cardstock: Park Lane (#110 white for cardbase), Bazzill (yellow), Strathmore Cold Press Watercolor Paper, Recollections (kraft), Taylored Expressions (vellum)
Stamps: Stamp Simply (Sunflower Season)
Ink: VersaMark, Distress Ink (Fossilized Amber, Mustard Seed, Salty Ocean, Ground Espresso Gathered Twig, Mowed Lawn, Lucky Clover)
Tools/Embellishments: Pink & Main Glossy Dots (silver), Simon Says Stamp embossing powder (white), My Favorite Things Die-namics (Blueprint 1, Blueprint 29)

For my last card, I kept things very simple and let one of my favorite sentiments from Sunflower Seasons take center stage. Four patterned paper rectangles were mounted on cardstock and then matted before behing adhered to the card base. The sentiment was stamped, die cut and double matted before being popped up over the patterned paper panel. It doesn't get much easier than that.

Cardstock: Park Lane (#110 white for cardbase, #65 burgundy), Bazzill (green), Georgia Pacific (white for sentiment)
Stamps: Stamp Simply (Sunflower Season)
Ink: VersaFine (Onyx Black)
Tools/Embellishments: Spellbinders Dies (Standard Circles Large and Small, Petite Scalloped Circles Large)


For those in the path of Hurricane Florence, I do hope you'll stay safe. Be careful!

I also wanted to take this opportunity to thank all those that voted for my card in the Paper Sweeties contest. Thanks to you taking the time to go vote for me, I won the contest. Here is a pic of my prize:

I am truly humbled by how many of you voted. Thank you so much!!

Thanks for visiting with me today. I hope you'll visit the Word Art Wednesday blog to see the projects from the rest of the Design Team. We even have a new DT member being introduced today. Please give my good friend, Tamara, a warm welcome. Also, please be sure to visit our sponsor, Stamp Simply. They have many beautiful stamp sets that are sure to catch your eye.

Celebrate Your Special Day

I wanted to take part in the Mod Squad Challenge this week. For the challenge this week, you had to use your acrylic block to stamp the background. I also wanted to participate in the weekend color challenge on the Christian Card Makers FB group. Here is the palette we were given:

I used covered my acrylic block with two shades of purple distress ink and then spritzed it with water. I stamped this on my block and let the block sit on my cardstock for a couple minutes. I used my heat gun to dry it but still set it aside for a couple hours to completely dry. I then stamped an old Gina K Designs butterfly with black ink in my stamped square. I die cut the panel and double mounted it on two shades of green cardstock. Yes, I know the stamped block is off-center, we're going to go with it's an "artistic card." LOL The sentiment was stamped and then double mounted with two shades of purple cardstock. Some bling was added to the butterfly's body and some stickles were used to accent various parts of the wings. Nuvo Crystal Drops were scattered on the stamped panel and also used for the butterfly's head.

It's a very different look for me. But it's good to step out of your comfort zone every now and then. In real life, the colors match the palette much better.

Supplies:
Cardstock: Park Lane (card base), Georgia Pacific (white), Bazzill (green cardstock), DCWV (dark purple cardstock), Unknown embossed light purple cardstock
Stamps: Gina K Designs (butterfly - retired), Paper Sweeties (Love You to Pieces)
Ink: Distress Ink (Wilted Violet, Shaded Lilac), VersaFine (Onyx Black)
Tools/Embellishments: Our Daily Bread Designs (Double Stitched Rectangle Dies), Nuvo Crystal Drops (clear), The Paper Studio (bling), Stickles (Star Dust)

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
ModSquad Challenge - Stamp Your Block Cardmaking Challenge
Crop Stop Linky #43 - Use items or brands found in the Crop Stop online store (I used Distress Ink, Tsuineko, Ranger, Scotch, Bazzill)
Whoopsi Daisy Challenge - Anything Goes with Option of Purple

Thanks for visiting today. I hope you'll come back soon.