40th Work Anniversary

Recently, one of my husband's co-workers celebrated her 40th anniversary on the job.  I was asked to make a card to help celebrate this special milestone.  My Favorite Things Blueprints 1 dies and Blueprints were used for the card design and made it very quick & easy.  The "40" and "Congratulations" were heat embossed. A couple brads and faux stitching finish off the card. 

Supplies:
Cardstock: Georgia Pacific (white), Bazzill (kraft)
Patterned Paper:  MME-Miss Caroline (Dolled Up)
Stamps:  Simon Says Stamp ("40" - unknown clear stamp set name), Inkadinkado ("Congratulations" wood mount stamp)
Ink: Versamark, Versafine (Onyx Black)
Tools/Embellishments: embossing powder (unknown brand silver), brads (Doodle Bug), Uniball Signo white gel pen, Staedtler fine tip marker (black), My Favorite Things die set (Blueprints 1)

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Scrapbook Blessings Card Challenge #22 - Anything Goes
Craft Your Passion Challenge #219 - Bold, Bright Colors
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes
Fan-tastic Tuesday Challenge #41 - Anything Goes
Penny's Paper Crafty Challenge #183 - Embossing (Heat or dry - I used heat)
Inky Impressions Challenge #165 - Anything Goes
PDE Linky Party #13 - Lots of Layers

Thanks for stopping by for a visit. Enjoy your weekend!!

Welcome Home!

"Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage."  Galatians 5:1  This week's focus verse at Word Art Wednesday, reminds us that true freedom is found in Christ.  Sin carries a yoke of bondage but salvation thru Christ sets us free.  Just as our spiritual freedom was provided to us by Christ's sacrifice, as Americans our political freedom is also provided for us by the sacrifice of our military men and women and their families.  For that reason, I chose a patriotic theme for this week's card.

I made this card with a specific military family in mind.  The soldier husband just returned home to his family after a very long absence while he was serving in Japan.  We are thrilled that he has now been reunited with his precious wife and their daughter.  The verse was set off by inking and a quartet of gold stars.  The red, white and blue striped paper and red paper with stars are from the same digi set as the large star and the sentiment used on the front and inside.  This fantastic patriotic set is from Deedee's Digis and is called Stitchy Stars.

It comes with a great assortment of sentiments, images (pre-colored and outline), and digi papers.  I used 2 of the sentiments, one of the pre-colored stars and two of the digi papers on this card.  One of the sample cards was used as the inspiration for this card design.  I changed up a few things but it's definitely a case of Deedee's card.

One of the things in my stash I haven't used often enough is my Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel (UTEE).  I used it on the large star this week and really like the results.  I covered the star with versamark and then a layer of UTEE.  After heating with my heat gun, I repeated the process.  It really makes a nice clear coat on top of the star.  I'll be using this more often.

I really liked the subtle stars in the red patterned paper that came in the digi stamp set.  However, I wanted the stars to stand out a little more so I used a versamarker and some clear embossing powder.  It gave the extra pop I was wanting.  A striped embossing folder was used on the navy background cardstock.  It adds some great texture.  Some inking, brads, faux stitching, pop dots and black rhinestones finish off the front.

There's just a small amount of interior decorating.  The soldier's wife asked several of their friends to send them encouragement verses on cards to pin up around their apartment to help them as they make the transitions that they are facing in the days ahead.  I plan to include a couple cards before mailing this to them.

Supplies:
Cardstock: Bazzill (navy), Recollections (kraft), Georgia Pacific (white)
Patterned Digi Papers: Deedee's Digis (Stitchy Stars)
Stamps:  Papercraft Memories (Galatians 5:1), Deedee's Digis (Stitchy Stars)
Ink:  Versamark, Distress (Tea Dye)
Tools/Embellishments: VersaMarker, Uni-Ball Signo white gel pen, brads (unknown), black rhinestones (Want2Scrap Baby Bling), Darice embossing folder (Stripe Background), Recollections fine detail embossing powder (Clear), Ranger Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel (Clear)

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Fan-tastic Tuesday Challenge #41 - Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - I Ought to Use This More (for me it's UTEE)
Scrapbook Blessings Club Challenge #22 - Anything Goes
Going Gray with Scrap Creations - 4th of July (or that traditional color scheme)
PDE Linky Party #13 - Many Layers
Twisted Tuesday Challenges #79 (2TC79) - Red, White and Blue with stars
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes
Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge #183 - Embossing - Heat or Dry (I have used both)
Paper Pretties Weekly Challenge #316 (PWC316) - Red, White and Blue



As usual, I'd like to remind you to stop by the Word Art Wednesday blog to see the projects from the rest of the design team and to pick up your free digi WORDart.  Have a great day and thanks for stopping by for a visit.

Praying Specifically for You Today

This week's focus verse at Word Art Wednesday is one that is familiar to many, "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." John 8:32  This is a great verse to remind us that we can KNOW the truth and that there is absolute truth.  The world today tries to tell us that there are no absolutes.  The world says, "what's true for me might not be true for you...and that's OK."  The Bible says there is absolute truth, we can know what that truth is and that truth brings freedom.  We don't have to wonder if we're doing right or wrong.  We can see if our actions/thoughts/attitudes/words line up with the Bible.  If they do, wonderful.  If they don't...we need to change.

One of our sponsors this week is Deedee's Digis.    Deedee has lots of cute, adorable images and many Scripture sets.  To celebrate the opening of her new store, she has all of her digis at 50% off when you use the coupon code NEWSTORE50.  The coupon code is good thru the end of this month.  I used two of her sets on my card today.  I put this week's focus verse inside one of the images from Framed Comfort.  I traced the frame with a metallic gel pen and embellished it with tiny pearls. I love using pearls and pearl flourishes on cards.  They are definitely my favorite embellishment!

I found the tutorial for this Twist Turn card on YouTube.  It's a fun card to make and once you get where to put the score lines, it goes together very quickly and fits in a regular A2 envelope.

I used one of the sentiments from the Pray Without Ceasing set (There's a boy version and a girl version - same sentiments, different images).  I really like this sentiment because it uses the word "specifically."  What a blessing to have someone pray specifically for YOU.  It can mean they are praying for you and not just their friends as a group (not "Lord, please bless my friends today" but "Lord, please bless 'Susie' today.").  Or it can also mean they are praying specific things for you. For instance: "please encourage 'Susie' as she's adjusting to her daughter being married," "please give 'Susie' comfort as she goes to the doctor today." 

I kept the interior decorating pretty simple to leave as much room as possible for writing a message.  The writing panel is approx. 2.25" x 4".

Supplies:
Cardstock: Georgia Pacific
Patterned Paper:  My Minds Eye - Miss Caroline (Howdy Doody 6 x 6 pad)
Stamps:  Papercraft Memories (John 8:32); Deedee's Digis (Framed Comfort, Pray without Ceasing)
Tools/Embellishments:  Sakura Gelly Roll metallic pen (green), Wink of Stella glitter brush marker (clear), Making Memories button brads, Prima Say it in Crystals pearl flourish (individual pearls were cut from part of the flourish as well), Spellbinders Lacey Squares die

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Anything Goes
Craft Your Passion Challenge #218 - 3 or more embellishments (can be 3 different or 3 of the same kind)
Faith, Hope and Love Scripture Challenge #10 - Use Scripture
Papertake Weekly - Lace and/or Pearls (I used pearls and a lacey die)
Sweet Stamps Challenge #174 - Anything Goes
Clear It Out Challenge - Anything Goes
Wags 'n Whiskers Challenge #131 - Fancy Fold
Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge #182 - Favorite embellishments (pearls)

I hope you'll stop by the Word Art Wednesday blog to see the other Design Team projects, pick up your free digi and link up a project of your own.  Also, don't forget to use the coupon code NEWSTORE50 when checking out at Deedee's Digis to receive 50% off.  If you purchase $10 or more (after discounts), you'll receive the Digi of the Month for FREE!

Thanks for visiting today!

Better Late than Never

This post is long overdue!  We had a bad storm Tuesday night that fried our modem.  We just got the internet fixed today.  We also lost most of our water pressure but thankfully we didn't lose water completely and we got it back in full force by Thursday evening.  I was also thankful we didn't lose power.  Anyway, that's the reason behind my Word Art Wednesday card being posted today.  :)  I have some other cards ready to show you so I may have multiple posts this week. 

This week's focus verse at Word Art Wednesday is Psalm 73.25, "Whom have I in heaven but thee?  and there is none upon the earth that I desire beside thee."  We frequently look forward to that day in Heaven when we'll see those family and loved ones who have gone before us.  That is a reasonable and comforting expectation.  But sometimes we forget that when we get to Heaven, our immediate focus is going to be on seeing and worshiping our wonderful Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  This verse, is the Psalmists reminder that truly, there is NO ONE on earth or in Heaven that is more important that the Lord.  So yes, I am greatly looking forward to seeing my parents again one day but MUCH more than that, I can't wait to see the Lord.

I've seen several swing cards on the internet in recent months.  However, most of them require a special die or complicated partial die cutting.  I was really happy when I found this YouTube tutorial by Dreaming About Rubber Stamps.  It doesn't require any dies just scoring and cutting with your trimmer.  In my version, I also cut the patterned paper to cover the card base.  That was truly the hardest part.

The picture above is the card in "mid-swing." The background for the swing portion and the ribbon look black in my pictures but they are actually navy.  The background cardstock behind the verse was run thru an embossing folder for some texture.  Selected flowers in the patterned paper have a rhinestone added to the centers and others got a coat of glitter from a Wink of Stella brush marker.

Here is the interior of the card.  A corner punch provides the details and a few rhinestones were added for accents.  The hardest part on this was cutting the white panel the correct size.  One of these days, I'll figure out the formula and write it on the bottom of the punch.

Supplies:
Cardstock: Georgia Pacific (white), Bazzill (gray, navy)
Patterned Paper:  My Minds Eye (The Sweetest Thing - Bluebell)
Stamp:  Papercraft Memories (Psalm 73:25)
Ink:  Memento (Paris Dusk)
Tools/Embellishments: Stampin' Up Journal Writer (Night of Navy), Uniball Sign white gel pen, Zig Wink of Stella brush marker (clear), ribbon (Offray), baker's twine (Jillibean Soup), rhinestones (The Paper Studio), Spellbinders Classic Ovals Large dies, My Favorite Things Scalloped Doily Duo die, EK Success corner punch, Cuttlebug embossing folder (Victoria)

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge #181 - Anything Goes 
Fan-tastic Tuesday Challenge #39 - Anything Goes 
Crafty Ribbons Challenge #93 - Anything Goes with Ribbon 
Wags 'n Whiskers Stamps Challenge #131 - Fancy Folds 
 

I hope you'll stop by the Word Art Wednesday blog to pick up your free digi.  The rest of the DT have some beautiful projects to share with you.  There's still time to enter this week's challenge with your project.  We'd love to see what you're working on this week.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Milly Cuddle Time

I think this rubber stamp image from Lili of the Valley is just adorable.  I've used it on a card before (here)but it's so fun to color, here it is again.  :)  Yes, I tend to make most of my kitties gray - that's because Sasha (aka SashaBelle) is a Russian Blue.   I used the Sweet Sunday Sketch 222 as my design jumping off point.  I changed things up a little but still kept the basic design elements.  I stacked the "hello" die cut again.  I really like the subtle dimension that gives without having to use pop-dots. This card is 5.5" square.

Supplies:
Cardstock:  Georgia Pacific (white), Bazzill (navy)
Patterned Paper:  DCWV
Stamp: Lili of the Valley (Milly Cuddle Time)
Ink:  Memento (Tuxedo Black)
Copics: Milly (Shirt-B000, 21, 23, 26; Skin-E00, 11; R20; Hair-Y11, YR20, E31; Dog-E50, 25, 31, N7; Cat-N1, 3, 5, 7; Table-C0, C-1)
Tools/Embellishments:  Spellbinders Dies (Circle Large and Small), Lawn Fawn Lawn Cuts (hello), Fiskars Border punch (Apron Lace), Jillibean Soup baker's twine, button from my stash, Stampin' Up Night of Navy marker

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Shopping Our Stash Challenge #154 - Critters
Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes
Sweet Stamps Challenge #172 - Ribbons, Buttons and/or Bows (I used all 3)
Pile It On Challenge #23 - Use Patterned Paper
Delightful Challenge - All Tied up (use ribbon, string or twine)
Paper Pretties Wednesday Challenge #313 (PWC313) - Make a square card
Sentimental Sunday Challenge #210 - Anything Goes

Thanks for visiting with me today.  I hope your week is off to a good start!

Hello {Loon}

I have a quick card to share with you.  It uses the current Mojo Monday sketch (MOJO348) and a new word die I recently purchased.  My husband just spent the last week in Ely, MN, on a fishing trip with our son and 4 other men.  It was on a family vacation in Ely where I first fell in love with loons.  They are so pretty in real life and I loved watching them on the lake.  When I found out that Kathryne at StampArt Design by Kathryne had 3 loon digis, I was so excited.  This card uses one of them, Sarah's Babies.  I inked the sky and water and used the negative of  a die cut to help make my clouds.  I wish I'd done a better job at the horizon line but....there's always next time.  The "hello" die was cut 4 times -- three times with white cardstock and once with the matching blue patterned paper.  The die cuts were adhered on top of each other to add dimension.  The the top was given a coat of glitter from a Wink of Stella clear brush glitter marker and then a coat of Glossy Accents.  A ribbon, button and baker's twine bow add more dimension and faux stitching finishes it off.

Supplies:
Cardstock:  Georgia Pacific (white), Recollections (kraft)
Patterned Paper:  My Mind's Eye (Miss Caroline - Dolled Up 6x6 pad)
Stamp:  StampArt Design by Kathryne (Sarah's Babies)
Ink:  Stampin' Up (Bliss Blue), Distress Ink (Tumbled Glass)
Tools/Embellishments:  ribbon (May Arts), baker's twine (The Twinery), button from stash, Sweet 'n Sassy Lacey Eyelet Border die, Lawn Fawn Lawn Cut (Hello), Glossy Accents, Staedtler fine tip marker (brown), Zig Wink of Stella (clear)

I'm entering this in the following challenges:
Mojo Monday (MOJO348) - Sketch Challenge
Delightful Challenge - All Tied Up (Use ribbon, string or twine - I used ribbon and twine)
Sentimental Sundays Challenge #210 - Anything Goes
Pile It On Challenge #23 - Use Patterned Paper
Scrapbook Blessings Club Challenge #21 - Anything Goes Using Digi Stamps
Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes


Thanks for stopping by today.

{I + A} Happy Anniversary

This year is a "milestone" anniversary year for both of our children and for us.  Our daughter and her husband celebrated their first anniversary, our son and his wife celebrated their 5th and my husband and I will celebrate our 30th in December.  This card is the one I sent to our son and his wife.  I like to try to use the couple's wedding colors (when I know them) on anniversary cards.  Ian and Amy had pink, brown and cream. The fifth anniversary is the "wood" anniversary.  I was able to tie in both themes with this card.

I've been seeing a lot of the inlaid die-cut technique on blogs and YouTube videos.  I decided this was the perfect time to give it a try.  I used a wood backdrop stamp to represent a tree (my wood).  It was heat embossed with clear embossing powder.  The heart die cut with their initials was inlaid to mimic being carved into the tree.  The  initials and stamped heart were also heat embossed as was the sentiment.  The red hearts were given some glossy accents for texture and shine.  Inking, faux stitches and 2 rounded corners finish off the front.

The interior was given a little decorating by embossed heats and faux stitching.  This card was simple to make and quite CAS for me but I was really pleased with how it turned out.  It also only required one stamp to mail.  That is a true rarity for my cards. 

Supplies:
Cardstock:  Recollections
Patterned Paper:  Basic Gray (Bittersweet, Sugared)
Stamps: Lawn Fawn (Woodgrain Backdrop), Stampin' Up (Brushstroke Alphabet Uppers), Mark's Finest Papers (Celebrate Big)
Ink:  VersaFine (Vintage Sepia)
Tools/Embellishments:  Staedtler fine tip marker (brown), Lawn Fawn Lawn Cuts (Hearts), Recollections fine detail embossing powder (clear), Zutter Round-it-All 1/2", Glossy Accents

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Mod Squad Challenge - Anniversary
Cute Card Thursday Challenge #324 - Perfectly Pink (use pink somewhere on your card)
Chocolate, Coffee and Cards Challenge #66 - Use embossing
Papertake Weekly Challenge - Anything Goes

Thanks for stopping by today.  I hope you have a wonderful weekend. 

Dad: The Glory of Children

Hi, Friends!!  I hope your week is off to a good start.  This week's focus verse at Word Art Wednesday is Proverbs 17:6, "Children's children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers."  This verse reminds us that one of the greatest joys in life is to see our grandchildren (children's children).  We have one precious grandson and what a joy he is.  I also get so much joy watching our son be a daddy.  The love between those two is strong and does our hearts good to see.  It is a glory or privilege to me to have had a wonderful father.  Dad was one of the most self-sacrificing men I know.  He did so much for me just because he loved me.  Dad went Home to be with the Lord 6 years ago.  While I'm thrilled that he and Mom have been reunited and that he's now with the Savior he served for so many years, I still miss him dearly.  I'm also very thankful that our children have a Dad that loves them with a self-sacrificing love.  I don't know of anyone (including myself) that prays for our children more than my husband does.  What a treasure!!

I kept my card pretty CAS this week...and once again NO patterned paper.  That's hard to believe isn't it?  I borrowed a cool embossing folder from a friend that does has dots in graduated sizes as it goes up the panel.  I'd never seen one like that before.  The ties are from Deedee's Digis adorable set, "Not a Tie."  It was last month's set for the Digi of the Month challenge.  You can see a preview of the full set in the pic below.  Love that panda!!

In case you hadn't heard the good news,  Deedee's Digis now has a store of its own!!  I'd encourage you to stop by and read all about the details here.  Deedee is launching the store with a freebie and a great sale.  I know you won't want to miss it.

Back to my card, I printed the pre-colored ties out twice and fussy cut them.  The original image has them hanging from a line.  Since I was cutting them out, I chose to use baker's twine for the line.  The twine is knotted on each end and attached with brads.  One set of ties was adhered to the embossed panel and the twine was adhered on top.  The bottom of the 2nd set of ties was popped up while the knot was glued on top of the string.  There is faux stitching around the ties, embossed panel and sentiment panel.  A few more brads and gems finish off the front.

Supplies:
Cardstock:  Recollection (kraft), Bazzill (green), Georgia Pacific (ties and sentiment)
Stamps:  Papercraft Memories (Proverbs 17:6), Deedee's Digis (Not a Tie)
Tools/Embellishments:  gems (Want2Scrap), brads (Making Memories), Uni-ball signo white gel pen, Staedtler fine tip black marker, The Twinery baker's twine (charcoal), Spellbinders M'Bossabilities embossing folder (Graduated Dots)

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Faith, Hope and Love Scripture Challenge #9- Use Scripture
Scrapbook Blessings Club Challenge #21 - Anything Goes
Eureka Stamps Challenge #92 - Father's Day
Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes
Going Gray with Scrap-Creations - Father's Day
Inky Chicks Challenge #30 - Use metal embellishment (I used brads)
Really Reasonable Ribbon Challenge #96 - Masculine with ribbon or trim (I used baker's twine)
Cuttlebug Mania - Father's Day
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Stand By Your Man (Masculine Card)
Fab 'n Funky Challenge #219 - Father's Day or For the Men in your Life


I hope you'll take the time to stop by the Word Art Wednesday blog to see the projects from the rest of the Design Team and to pick up your free digi.  Thanks for stopping by today. 

10 Years Ago Today

 Today's post is a bit more personal than usual but it does contain a card. :)

Ten years ago today, we celebrated our son's graduation from high school.  We were a homeschooling family so when a child graduates from high school, it is not only their accomplishment but a family one as well.  Ian put a lot of hard work into his schooling and in spite of some obstacles finished well.  It's hard to believe that he's been out of school for 10 years already.  What an eventful decade it has been!!  He went away to college for a year, we moved, he got a good full-time job and has had several promotions, he met his wife and married her, and they have had a son.

We wanted to celebrate with him how thankful we are for how he's allowed the Lord to work in his life over these 10 years and how proud we are of him.  So, I made him a card (of course!) and we gave him a small gift.  A couple weeks after his graduation, we celebrated by going on a fishing trip to Ely.  He's with his dad doing the same thing now.

I made his card in the colors he chose as "his" school colors (red, white and black).  The diamond shape and stripes remind me of all the years he spent playing baseball.  Sports have always been a big part of his life. The image on the front was heat embossed.  A few brads and some faux stitching finish it off.

Supplies:
Cardstock:  Georgia Pacific (white), Bazzill (red), Recollections (black)
Patterned Paper: My Mind's Eye (Quilting Bee)
Ink:  Versamark
Stamps:  Gina K Designs (Masculine Tags)
Tools/Embellishments: brads (Making Memories), Stampendous Opaque White embossing powder, Spellbinders (Classic Diamonds, Labels 22), Uni-ball Signo white gel pen, Staedtler fine tip black marker

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes
Clear it Out Challenge - Father's Day or Masculine using some stars
Inky Chicks Challenge #30 - Use metal Embellishment
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Stand By Your Man (Masculine cards)
Fab 'n Funky Challenge #219 - Father's Day or For the Men in your Life


Thanks for stopping by.  Come back in a couple hours for my Word Art Wednesday post.