Floral Thanks

For this week's CAS - Thank You challenge at The Kraft Journal, I chose to stamp my own background. I started with a piece of Buff Ivory Cover Weight Cardstock. The texture in this cardstock really adds a neat dimension to the finished design. After layering a hexagon mask over the cardstock, I did some ink blending with a sponge dauber. After removing the mask, I stamped flowers, leaves and swirls in various colors of ink. A white gel pen was used to add highlights to the flowers and leaves. A stacked die cut "thanks" was added to the front and topped with Glossy Accents.

The front panel was matted with purple cardstock. Dove Gray Hand Stained Bias Tape was tied around the panel before mounting it to a card base made from more of the Buff Ivory Cover Weight Cardstock. In the pic above you get a sneak peek of how the design was carried to the inside.

Supplies:
Cardstock: The Kraft Outlet (Buff Ivory Cover Weight Cardstock), Cor'dinations (Hydrangea)
Stamps: Simon Says Stamp (Always and Forever clear stamp set) 
Ink: Memento (Bamboo Leaves, New Sprout, Grape Jelly, Lulu Lavender, Sweet Plum) Distress Ink (Antique Linen)
Tools/Embellishments: Dove Gray Hand Stained Bias Tape (The Kraft Outlet), Simon Says Stamp die (Thanks), Studio Calico Huey's Mask (Hexagon Mask), Uniball Signo white gel pen, Glossy Accents

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge #241 - Anything Goes
Chocolate, Coffee & Cards Challenge #98 - Use a Sentiment
Crop Stop Linky Party #7 - Must use something found in the Crop Stop (Memento Inks, Distress Ink)
V's Sweet Ideas Challenge #37 - Anything Goes

Thanks for visiting with me today. I hope you'll have time to play along in this week's CAS-Thank You challenge!!

Joy and Peace

Happy Wednesday!! It's time for another challenge at Word Art Wednesday. This week we're looking at Romans 15:13, "Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost." As Paul is nearing the end of his epistle to the Romans, he is reminding them of where joy and peace originates. Being a Christian in Rome during Paul's lifetime was quite a dangerous thing. This verse is an encouragement to them to remember that God is the source of their hope and that He can fill them with joy and peace as they believe in Him. Our week this week has felt like we're on a merry-go-round. This verse encourages me to remember that God has things in control and I can have peace and joy through the power of the Holy Ghost. I know these verses are chosen weeks (months?) in advance for us to use, however, so often they meet a current need in my life during the week we focus on them. God is so good like that!

Because this was such hectic week, I kept my card very simple. Sometimes, it's good to go back to the basics. The only tools I used on this card (other than the computer/printer for the verse) were a pair of scissors and my trusty paper trimmer. Each layer is matted because I think that just adds such a finished look. A ribbon was tied in a simple knot around the smaller panel. 

I cut a rhinestone flourish into two parts so that I could use it to fill the space above the ribbon. The sentiment panel is popped up to keep it level over the rhinestones.

It's still possible to keep things simple and still add interior decorating. Adding a strip of one of the papers used on the front of the card matted with one of the other cardstocks or papers is my favorite way to interior decorate my cards.

Supplies:
Cardstock: Georgia Pacific (white), Stampin' Up! (pink)
Patterned Paper: My Mind's Eye (Dolled up 6x6 pad)
Stamp: WORDart by Karen (Romans 15:13)
Embellishments/Tools: ribbon (Stampin' Up), rhinestone flourish (Want2Scrap), Fiskars (paper trimmer, scissors)

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Craft Your Passion Challenge #275 - Anything Goes
Shopping Our Stash Challenge #215 - Layers
Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge #241 - Anything Goes

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

Happy Birthday Loon

For this week's Anything Goes - Birds challenge at The Kraft Journal, I chose to feature my all-time favorite bird, the loon. I saw this Fancy Fold Corner Card Dawn Giffith's YouTube Channel. As with many new-to-me fancy folds, I wanted to give it a try. The card base was made with Brown Kraft Cover Weight Cardstock. After making the fancy corner fold and stamping it with various colors of distress ink, the Copic colored image was double matted and added to the card front. An Antique Silver Label Holder was added to the front and the sentiment was stamped on Buff Ivory Cover Weight cardstock and glued inside.

The interior has Buff Ivory Cover Weight cardstock layered over striped patterned paper.


Supplies:
Cardstock: The Kraft Outlet (Buff Ivory Cover Weight, Brown Kraft Cover Weight Cardstock)
Patterned Paper: My Mind's Eye
Stamps: Hero Arts (Special Day), Stampendous (Birthday Wish), Gina K (Masculine Tags), Stampin' Up (Itty Bitty Backgrounds - retired), Whimsy - StampArt Designs by Kathryne (Resting Loon - retired)
Ink: Versafine (Onyx Black), Distress Inks (Tea Dye, Walnut Stain)
Copics: N0, 1, 3; B000; BG000, 01, 10; Colorless Blender
Tools/Embellishments: Antique Silver Label Holders (The Kraft Outlet), brads (The Paper Studio), Spellbinders dies (Classic Squares Large and Small)

I'm entering this card in the following Challenges:
Hiding in My Craft Room Challenge #212 - Use Die Cuts
Papertake Weekly - Spots and Stripes (spots on the card base and stripes in the interior patterned paper)
Cute Card Thursday Challenge #386 - Anything Goes
Chocolate, Coffee & Cards Challenge #97 - Frame It
Crop Stop Linky Party #7 - Use something that can be purchased at the Crop Stop Store (I used Distress Inks and Spellbinders dies)
Sweet Stamps Blog Challenge #235 - Masculine Card

Thanks for stopping by today. I hope you'll come back often.

Beautiful Feet

Hello! I hope your week is going well. It's time for a new challenge at Word Art Wednesday and this week we're focusing on Isaiah 52:7, "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace: that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God Reigneth!" I don't know about you, but except maybe for baby feet, there are not too many sets of feet that I would describe as beautiful. However, this verse tells us that those who spread the good news of Christ and His work of salvation have beautiful feet! When someone brings you good news, you are glad to see them and you look very favorably upon them. When you bring the good news of salvation and proclaim a peaceful message (be the one that has a positive outlook instead of always remarking on the negative), you will be a breath of fresh air in our negative world. This week, let's work on having beautiful feet.

This week's card is pretty simple. The finished card is 5"x7". I used scraps of patterned paper from an old Basic Grey line of paper and adhered them to the brown cardstock base. This panel was dry embossed with an embossing folder. Some photo corner die cuts frame the sentiment panel and Copic-colored image. The image is from one of our fantastic sponsors: Fresh Brewed Designs. The die cut mat behind the image panel was accented with a white gel pen. Stickles add some sparkle to the flowers and butterflies in the image. Some punched butterflies (with stickle bodies) and small gems finish off the card front. Yes, I realize I've used the same butterfly punch on my last 3 cards. I'll "step away from the punch" next week. *grin*

Supplies:
Cardstock: Georgia Pacific (white), Papertrey Ink (image), Recollections (brown)
Patterned Paper: Basic Grey (Oh Baby Girl)
Stamps: WORDart by Karen (Isiah 52:7), Fresh Brewed Designs (Blossoms and Butterflies)
Copics: E11, 33, 35, 37; Y13, 15, 17; B000; YG03, 05; V01, 04, 06; G03, 07, 09, 14
Tools/Embellishments: Stickles (Star Dust), Want2Scrap baby bling, Spellbinders dies (Decorative Photo Corners, Petite Oval Large, Petite Scalloped Ovals), My Favorite Things Die-namics (Blueprints 1), Cuttlebug embossing folder (Basket Weave), Fiskars punch (Butterfly), Uni-Ball Signo white gel pen

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Clear It Out Challenge: Use color brown and brown/kraft embellishments (I used brown cardstock and have large brown centers on my flowers. My photo corners are my brown embellishment)
Going Grey with Scrap Creations: Garden
Digi Choosday Week 32 - Punches/Die Cuts (I have both)
Outlawz Tuesday Colour Challenge - Use purple plus two colors from the photo (I chose yellow and green) and then use a twist and tell what the twist is (I dry embossed the patterned paper background)
Scrapbook Blessings Club - Anything Goes -optional twist - glitter (I used stickles on the flowers and butterflies)

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

Countdown to Fun

My project for this week's Take Your Pick challenge at The Kraft Journal is a countdown calendar for our 5 year old grandson. It is designed to help him count down the days until my husband and I go to visit him on his birthday weekend. I was able to pack 4 (red, embossing, die cuts, and washi tape) of the 8 choices in the simple design of the front cover. I started with a base of Lunch Bag Kraft cardstock (my favorite The Kraft Outlet cardstock). The folded size of this project is 5" x 8". My cardstock base is in two sections. The first piece was cut to 8" x 10.5". It was scored on the long side at 5" & 10". The second piece was cut at 5" x 8". I added scrappy tape (like Scor-tape) to the 1/2" strip on the first panel and used that to adhere the smaller panel. This gave me a strip 15" long that was scored at 5" & 10" in mountain and valley folds. Since I only needed 3 places to put my calendars, I folded the last setion back and adhered the sides to make a pocket. {That is probably clear as mud since I forgot to take pics of the construction process. See the last picture in this post for a little clarification.}

For the cover red cardstock and patterned paper  was layered over the base kraft cardstock. Using a VersaMarker, all the cars  were embossed with clear embossing powder. The computer generated sentiment and a red mat were die cut. A piece of white cardstock was cut as a mat for the sentiment and then covered with Notebook Grid Paper Tape (aka washi tape).

I printed 3 monthly calendars that I found as free downloads on the internet. I then added the countdown numbers with a black sharpie.

The final month of the countdown calendar is on the back. Stickers to mark off each day are tucked into the pocket.

Supplies:
Cardstock: The Kraft Outlet (Lunch Bag Kraft), Georgia Pacific (white), Core'dinations (red)
Patterned Paper: Echo Park (Little Boy 12 x 12 collection)
Computer generated sentiment
Tools/Embellishments: Versamarker, Sharpie black marker, Stampin' Up! embossing powder (crystal clear),  Notebook Grid Paper Tape (The Kraft Outlet), Spellbinders dies (Classic Rectangles Large), Stickers from the Dollar Store

Thanks for visiting with me today.  I hope you'll be able to play along in this week's Take Your Pick Challenge.

Fulness of Joy

Happy Wednesday! It's time for a new challenge at the Word Art Wednesday blog. This week we're back in the book of Psalms and focusing on Psalm 16:11, "Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy: at thy right hand there are pleasure for evermore." I remember when I was a child and was spending time with my parents. When I was being obedient, I was happy to be with them and was lighthearted. I was able to fully enjoy all the activities we were doing together. It didn't matter if I was "helping" Mom make jello in the kitchen or running errands with Dad, it was fun just being with them. However, when I knew I was doing wrong and not obeying them, I didn't enjoy being around them and felt as if a cloud were hanging over my head. Sometimes, disobedience even brought physical pain. Like the time I ran with scissors, fell and the scissors embedded themselves in my leg above the knee. I still have a scar to remind me of that episode. Another time, I rocked back in my chair at the table - something Mom had repeatedly told me not to do. I fell backwards and broke the bottom pane of glass in our French glass door. That episode of disobedience earned me a trip to the ER to get stitches in my neck. My disobedience didn't just hurt me. Because they loved me, my disobedience hurt my parents too. It's the same type of thing in our relationship with the Lord. When we stay close to Him and are obedient, we can experience full joy. It doesn't matter what's going in our lives, it's all more enjoyable because of Him. However, when we stray and are disobedient, not only can we be hurt (physically, emotionally, financially, etc.) but we hurt Him as well. This verse celebrates that close relationship that only comes with walking in obedience to the Lord.

Since this verse is about joy and the pleasure found in walking close to the Lord, I wanted the colors in my card to reflect that. I've seen several cards lately in blogland that have a short front that shows pretty paper on the interior. This is my version. Three dies from the My Favorite Things Blueprint 1 set were used on the card front. This is truly such a versatile set. I think the Blueprint sets are such a great value and reach for my set over and over. {I only own this set but have others on my wish-list.} Small butterflies with Stickles for bodies and scattered bling add sparkle to the card.

The interior has a little decorating as well - I think I went faux stitching crazy. :)

Supplies:
Cardstock: Papertrey Ink (sentiment), Georgia Pacific (cardbase and interior), Bazzill
Patterned Paper: My Mind's Eye (Howdy Doody 6x6 pad)
Stamp: WORDart by Karen (Psalm 16:11)
Tools/Embellishments: Staedtler fine tip marker (black), Offray ribbon, Stickles (Star Dust), Want2 Scrap baby bling, Sweet 'n Sassy die (Lacey Border), My Favorite Things Die-Namics (Blueprints 1), Fiskars punch (Butterfly, Apron Lace)

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:

Craft Your Passion Challenge #273 - Anything Goes
Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes
Clear It Out Challenge - Anything Goes
Incy Wincy Designs Challenge - Frame It
All Sorts Challenge Week 322 - Use Pearls/Gems
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Tie It Up
Scrapbook Blessings Club August Challenge - Anything Goes (Glitter is an optional twist - I used Stickles)

I so appreciate your visit and your comments always brighten my day. I hope you'll be able to stop by the Word Art Wednesday blog, see the rest of the projects from the Design Team and pick up your free digi. Please come back soon.

Back to School Book Worm

Note to my email subscribers: You might have gotten two emails about this blog post. One from my old provider and one from the new. I'm sorry for the duplicate but I wanted to make sure the new sender was up and running properly before discontinuing the old. Thanks for your patience.

For this week's Back to School Challenge at The Kraft Journal, I chose to make an extra large card (5.25" x 8.25") for our grandson. A large tag was cut from Lunch Bag Kraft Cardstock for the inside of the bag. A piece of white cardstock was layered on top and embellished with Notebook Grid Paper Tape. This tape was also used to made a hole reinforcement for the top of the tag. To make the reinforcement, I lined up two short strips of tape side-by-side on a piece of white cardstock. Using a small circle die, I die cut a circle and then punched a hole in the middle with my Crop-o-Dile. White Twill Tape was threaded through the hole and tied off with baker's twine.

After inserting the tag into a  Large Notebook Merchandise Bag, I wrapped Red , Brown Kraft  and Dark Green Baker's Twine around it. A button from my stash was added to the twine before tying it off in a knot. I then adhered the bag to a base of Lunch Bag Kraft Cardstock. The top of the base was trimmed to match the shape of the bag. I matted the Copic colored image and a piece of a Vintage Dictionary Page on cardstock from my scrap basket and layered them on the bag front. More scrap cardstock was cut into fishtail banners to add to the top of the bag. The computer generated sentiment was added to a die cut banner and popped up over the baker's twine. The worm's glasses and the highlights on the apple were accented with a glaze pen. Our grandson's name was written with a Sharpie near the top of the bag.

Supplies in addition to those listed above:
Cardstock: Georgia Pacific (white), scraps from my scrap basket
Stamps: Digi Stamps 4Joy (Book Worm)
Copics: Worm (G03, 07, 09; Y13, 17), Hat (N3, 5, 7, 9; Y35), Apple (R22, 24, 27; E25), Books (#1 - B21, 23, 26; E40, 50; #2 - E000, 02, 07, 08, 09; #3 - BG72, 73, 78; E40, 50; #4 - $22, 24, 27, 29; N0, 1, 3; #5  E31, 33, 35, 37, 40, 50; #6 - Y000, 32; YG03, 05; G14; E31)
Tools/Embellishments: Sakura glaze pen, Crop-o-dile, Spellbinders die (Standard Circle Small), Simon Says Stamp die (Folded Banner)

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Eureka Stamps Challenge #152 -  Washi tape
Digi Choosday Crafting Challenge Week 30 - Animal (of any type)
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes
4 Crafty Chicks Challenge #257 - Anything Goes
Craft Your Passion Challenge #273 - Anything Goes
Outlawz Twisted Thursday Challenge - Anything Goes

Thanks for visiting with me today. I hope you'll play along in this week's Back to School challenge!!

God Can Do Anything

It's time for a new challenge at Word Art Wednesday. This week our focus verse comes from the book of Job. This verse is such a statement of Job's faith in the Lord. In Job 42:2, Job states, "I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee." The first part had to be such a comfort to Job. When you look at Job's life, you see that except for his wife, he'd lost his entire family, he'd lost his wealth and he'd lost his health. Yet by reading the beginning chapters, we can see that this wasn't because of wrong-doing on Job's part, it was actually a way of proving how strong his faith was. You see, in Job 13:15, Job states, "Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him..." Wow! So by this last chapter in the book, Job is saying (my paraphrase), "Lord, I know that you can do every thing and anything and that you know every thought." You might wonder, what was God's response to Job's faithfulness. Verse 10 of chapter 42 tells us that God gave Job twice as much wealth as he had before. He'd lost 10 children and the Lord gave him 10 more. What about his health? Well, after this he lived another 140 years and was able to see his sons' sons to the fourth generation! Yes, I'd say God can do everything! We serve the same God Job did. He can still do wonders today. As the song we learned in Sunday School says, "God can do anything, anything, anything. God can do anything but fail!" I don't know about you, but this verse is a great reminder for me this week!

One of our sponsors this week is All Dressed Up and they generously provided some images for us to use. I was able to play with Little Flower Girl. I chose to paper piece her dress, hat and basket and Copic color her skin, hair, flowers and the little bird. She was fussy cut and popped up over the lacy doily die cut. The finished card size is approx 4" x 8.5".

Copic shading adds some depth to the paper pieced items. An enamel dot was used on the flower center. Stickles add some sparkle to her hat, the bow on her basket, and the flowers. Her hairbows and the butterflies were coated with a Wink of Stella glitter brush marker and the butterflies have Stickles bodies.

Popping the girl up over the doily and sentiment adds some dimension. The rhinestones on the doily and the banners add additional sparkle.  Every girl needs a little sparkle!

Supplies:
Cardstock: Papertrey Ink (image and sentiment), Georgia Pacific (cardbase and doily), unknown pink cardstock from my scrap basket
Patterned Paper: My Mind's Eye (Dolled Up 6x6 pad)
Stamps: WORDart by Karen (Job 42:2); All Dressed Up (Little Flower Girl)
Copics: Skin (E00, 11,50; R20), Hair (YR21; E33, 35, 37; Y21), Bird (B000, 21, 23), Flowers (Y15, 17; R20, 22, 83, 85; YG03, 05), Shading (N0, 1, 3, 100, Colorless Blender)
Tools/Embellishments: Fiskar's punch (Butterfly), MME enamel dot, Sakura Gel Pen (black), Staedtler fine tip marker (black), Cheery Lynn die (French Pastry), Want2 Scrap Baby Bling, Stickles (Star Dust)

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes
Eureka Stamps Challenge #151 - Anything Goes
Shopping Our Stash Challenge #212 - Use bling
Papertake Weekly Challenge - Take Your Pick (I chose to use the product choice and used a lacy doily die)
Fussy and Fancy Challenge #144 - Things with Wings (I have a bird and 5 butterflies on my card)
Mod Squad Challenge - Anything Goes plus a die brand that sponsor One Happy Cut carries  (I used a Cheery Lynn French Pastry Doily die)
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes
Crafty Creations Challenge #294 - Use 4 of something (I have 4 fishtail banners)

Thanks for stopping by to visit with me today. I hope you'll come back often!

Inspirational CAS

This week's theme at The Kraft Journal is to make a CAS (clean and simple) card that is inspirational. As a patterned-paper-multi-layers addict, I find CAS challenges truly a challenge. I started this week's card with a Lunch Bag Kraft Note Card as my card base. Then I stamped a floral background stamp in white pigment ink on a piece of Lunch Bag Kraft Cover Weight Cardstock. The sentiment was stamped on the back of an Admit One Ticket Tag. After stringing the tag with Red Baker's Twine, I  wrapped the twine around the stamped cardstock and then layered it on the note card.  Some Copic colored butterflies and pearls finish off the card. 

A piece of Buff Cover Weight Cardstock was layered on the inside to make it easier to write a message.

Supplies:
Card base: Lunch Bag Kraft Note Card (4"x5.5") - The Kraft Outlet
Cardstock: Lunch Bag Kraft Cover Weight Cardstock, Buff Cover Weight Cardstock - The Kraft Outlet
Stamps: Our Daily Bread Designs (Quote Collection 4), Hero Arts (Flower Burst Pattern), Doodlebug Designs (Doodlebug Love Spell)
Ink: Colorbox Pigment Ink (Frost White), VersaFine (Onyx Black), Memento (Tuxedo Black)
Tools/Embellishments:  Admit One Ticket Tag & Red Baker's Twine - The Kraft Outlet, pearls (The Paper Studio, Queen & Co), Copics (BG01, BG05), Staedtler fine tip marker (black)

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Fussy and Fancy Challenge #144 - Things with Wings
Mod Squad Challenge - The Wing's the Thing
Fab 'n Funky Challenge #269 - No Patterned Paper
A2Z Scrapbooking Supplies July Challenge - CAS using at least one Hero Arts product (my background stamp is Hero Arts)


Thanks for visiting with me today.  I  hope that you'll play along in this week's CAS challenge.

Belated Happy Birthday & A Blog Update

Today's card features a retired Stampin' Up wood block set. A die cut strip is topped with some laced and the image panel is popped up over it. The sentiment is stamped on a die cut fish tail banner and some purple paper flowers anchor the straight end of the banner.

I watercolored this sweet girl with distress ink and markers. The image was die cut and matted on a scalloped mat. Each scallop was accented with a white gel pen for added interest.

Popping the image panel up just a little adds a touch of dimension and helps the image panel stay level when placed over the lace trim.

The paper flowers add a beautiful touch, however, this much dimension means the card will have to be hand delivered or packaged with extra care (and extra postage).

The interior was decorated too.  Unfortunately, I need to use this sentiment a LOT.  :)

Supplies:
Cardstock:  Georgia Pacific (white), Bazzill (purple), Strathmore Water Color Paper (image)
Patterned Paper:  Recollections (Lavender Print)
Stamps:  Stampin' Up (Summer By the Sea -retired); Stampendous (Birthday Wish)
Ink: Stazon (Jet Black), Versafine (Onyx Black)
Tools/Embellishments: Distress Markers and Inks for water coloring, Uniball Signo White gel pen, The Paper Studio flowers, Offray lace, Spellbinders dies (Petite Oval Small, Petite Scalloped Oval Large), Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps die (Lacey Eyelet Border), Cuttlebug embossing folder (Basketweave)

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Crop Stop Linky Party #6 - Use something that can be purchased in the Crop Stop Shop (I used distress inks and markers)
Papertake Weekly - Build it Up (use lots of layers and dimension)
Digi Choosday Week 29 - All About the Girl
Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes

For my email subscribers:  I will be changing email servers in the very near future.  Hopefully, the change over will go smoothly and you will not experience any interruption of delivery.  However, if you do have a problem with my posts not landing in your email box, please let me know.  I don't want to lose any of you. If you would like to receive notification of my blog posts, please use the sign up box in the side bar.

Thanks for visiting and please come back soon.