Perfect Sentiment Challenge #85 - Red, White, and Blue

Our challenge this week at The Perfect Sentiment Challenge is:

CREATE A CARD FOR THE OCCASION OF YOUR CHOICE. IN HONOR OF THE UPCOMING INDEPENDENCE DAY, HERE IN THE U.S. USE THE COLORS RED, WHITE, & BLUE.

Since your card can be for any occasion, the only requirement is that you use those three colors, and remember to include a sentiment on the front of your card.

Our sponsor this week is Stitchy Bear Digital Stamps who is providing 3 free digis for one lucky winner.  I used their digi called "Flag Girl." I colored the image with Copic markers, embossed her background with The Paper Studio's "Tiny Stars," and used CTMH papers, star brads, Outdoor Denim twill and sentiment stamp.

I thought this sketch #69 from Retro Sketches was perfect for my card:

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:
ABC Challenge #34 - Red, White, and Blue
Bunny Zoe's Crafts June Challenge - Wings
Created With Love #47 - 4th of July
Digi Makeover #94 - All Tied Up (blue twill)
Get Inky #7 - Red, White and Blue
Kitty Bee Designs Aloha Friday Challenge #2 - Red, White and Blue
Opus Gluei #159 - Wings
Retro Sketches #69 - sketch
Sandy's Crafty Creations June Challenge - anything goes with embossed background (tiny stars)

Twist of Faith #43 - Make a Scene

This week at Twist of Faith our new challenge is:

SCENES - a scenic card or scenic image

And of course, don't forget our purpose - to include a scripture, uplifting quote/sentiment, or positive words of encouragement

We have a great sponsor this week: 

StampArt Design by Kathryne! The SADK random prize winner will receive their choice of FIVE IMAGES from the SADK collection available at Whimsy Stamps 

I used one of Kathryne's new stamps, "Charlie," because he looks like two of my grandsons who love fishing.

 

 

After I colored the delightful image with Copic markers, I wanted to try something new. To make my card even more scenic, I drew a grassy area beside Charlie and tore the top edge along the grasses. I cut out Charlie and the dragonfly with scissors. I adhered the sides and bottom edges as usual, but pop dotted the middle area around Charlie for added dimension and placed him on a background of blue sky and brown branches.

 

This scene reminds me of the peaceful place near my home where I used to fish when I was 12. That influenced my choice of a verse I had saved from Word Art Wednesday on August 1, 2012. I used Photoshop to print only the first half of the verse. I used brown hemp and CTMH antique copper bitty brads to help set it off. All of the pieces were sponged with CTMH Brown Bag ink.

 

I hope you'll join our challenge with your own scenic card and verse or sentiment.  I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:

Dream Valley #59 - (Father's Day)/ Male theme

Eureka Stamps #45 - Summertime Fun

Fab 'n' Funky #176 - Animals (Charlie's frog friend and dragonfly)

Joanna Sheen Challenge - Father's Day or a Male Card

Lady Anne's Challenge #3 - The Great Outdoors

Little Claire's June Challenge - Male Theme

Melonheadz Friends Challenge - Summer

Mema's Crafts June Challenge - anything goes with Summer Vacation twist

Stamp and Create - Summer Fun 

Word Art Wednesday #85 - anything goes with a scripture or words of encouragement

 

 

 



 

Mojo Monday 299 with Asian Plant

This weekend we helped my son, his wife, and their 5-year-old move into their new house. They had been living with her mother for about a year, saving money to get their own house. I used the Mojo Monday sketch for this week to make them a congratulations card. I could have used house images, but as I carried home décor that had been left in storage, I talked with them about getting to use their lovely Asian décor again. I had the perfect image from Clearly Digi Stamps.

Here's the fun sketch #299 from Mojo Monday. I used a 5" square card.

First, I had selected papers to match the inspiration photo at The Ribbon Reel challenge for this week: the juniper and crème brulee papers from two older CTMH packets and a pink ribbon from my stash.  My yellow was softer than my inspiration photo from The Ribbon Reel, but it's still a yellow.

Then, I combined one of the many sentiments from Clearly Digi Stamps', "Coffee Cup Greetings"  with the "Asian Plants" image. I used the colored digi and it matched my papers perfectly. The Plum Blossoms embossing folder added more Asian flair although my flower wasn't quite so Asian, but looked better than smaller ones. The juniper (aqua) paper was cut with Spellbinders Nestabilities "Lacey Circles."

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:
Catered Crop - Die cuts and punches
Digi Makeover #94 - All tied up - used ribbon
Incy Wincy Designs - Tic Tac Toe (my diagonal: 2 stamps, emboss it, frame it)
Mojo Monday #299 - sketch
No Matter Which #10 - Bingo choice from each column: Ribbons, pearls and flowers, bows
Really Reasonable Ribbon #74 - dots and ribbon
That Craft Place - Flowers
The Ribbon Reel #56 - Candy colors

And for my friends who know our family, here is the lucky, exhausted family with their new house:

 

Clearly iStamp Challenge - Red, White, and Blue

After a brief break, it's time to begin our challenges again with Clearly iStamp Blog Challenge #1 (CiSC1) - Color Challenge - Red, White and Blue. Your project can be any theme as long as the colors are ONLY the shades of Red, White and Blue (neutrals are okay to add). Any type of crafty project is allowed as long as it meets the theme.

Time: June 21st @ 10 am - July 4th @ 11 pm (Central Time)
Prize: $10 gift code to Clearly Digi Stamps for digital stamps. If you use a CDS stamp you will be entered into the drawing twice.

The winner will be announced on July 10th @ 10 am (central time).

This will also be a special challenge because we are going to give you an opportunity to be on the Cleary iStamp Blog Challenge Design Team. All you have to do is put CiSCDT behind your name. There will be 5 openings and the commitment is for 4 months (July 19th challenge will be the start date). You will be contacted July 6th and given your images for the July 19th challenge. We hope you'll join in the fun!

I used the Patriotic Charlie digi and the accompanying digi papers to make my card.

I flipped this week's sketch horizontally from Mojo Monday:

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:
Craftin Desert Diva's Red White and Blue Linky Party
Creative Card Crew Challenge #38 - Metal (my rustic copper star brads)
Going Grey with Scrap Creations - Patriotic
Mojo Monday #298 - sketch flipped horizontally and changed banner border into a star border
Oozak #16 - Anything Goes with a Sentiment
Pink by Design - Red White and Blue
Squigglefly Challenge #24 - Be True, Red, White, and Blue
That Craft Place - Independence Day
The Squirrel and the Fox #46 - Use something metal (brads)

5" x 6.5" Card Recipe:
Image and Sentiment - CDS Patriotic Charlie
Papers - CDS Patriotic Charlie (striped and star papers); Cranberry Cardstock - Close To My Heart
Accents - Twilight Ribbon and corrugated kraft star-CTMH; metallic star brads-Creative Impressions
Tools - printer, Cricut Art Philosphy (cranberry star)

 

Clearly Digi Stamps Freebie Giveaway!

Here is a project I made as an end of the year gift for my grandson's teacher. She once told me she'd like to be a reading teacher like I was. She definitely made an avid reader out of our 4th grader. So I'm giving her a Thank you card, bookmarks for all the kids and a container to hold them that was cut on Cricut Artiste. 

 

                                                  

 

Today and tomorrow on the Clearly Digi Stamps website you can get this set of stamps with 2 digi papers free with any purchase. The set is called Books and Apple. If you're a teacher or have children in school, it's a really great set for cards, bookmarks, or teacher gifts.

 

 

 

The yellow polka dotted paper is double sided with the blue/green pattern. It was a CTMH special called "Dotty for You."  It took two pieces of the paper to cut out the box (using Cricut Artiste) which is assembled from two pieces. 

The card front was cut using Cricut Artiste and was embossed with a Paper Studio embossing folder.

I'm sharing this project with the following challenges:
Country View Craft Challenge #4 - Die cuts
Craft Lovin Challenge #2 - Anything Goes
Desert Islands Crafts Challenge #56 - The Card uses 1. die cut, 3. patterned paper, 5. ribbon, 7. dry embossing, 10. sentiment
Digi Makeover Challenge #93 - Punches/Dies (Cricut box and notebook paper die cuts, scalloped circle punch)
Hiding in My Craft Room #102 - Die Cuts
Melonheadz Friends Challenge - Die Cuts
Really Reasonable Ribbon #74 - I'm seeing Dots (on yellow dp box & bookmark) and ribbon
 

Whatever you ask for in prayer . . .Believe

"Therefore, I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it and it will  be yours." Mark 11:24

Here is a verse that I shared with my son today. He and his wife are buying a new house. They have looked for months and finally found the one that is just right. They should have closed on the house yesterday. However, little things keep happening that make it seem like they won't get the loan in time to get their low interest rate. Having faith in the face of discouragement and trials can be a difficult thing. Knowing what and whom to believe in is the key.

When I was thinking about this verse, I didn't want it to sound like believing you'll win the lottery means that you will. The Lord's model prayer included these phrases: "Our Father . . .thy will be done. . ." That teaches us that praying for God's will in a situation and believing that it's the best for us because He loves us is the important factor missing in the "lottery prayer."

I've been a Christian for more than 56 years now and I know that the more time I've spent with Him, knowing Him, and the more answered prayers I've seen gives me that confidence to believe in answered prayer.  Prayer and faith give us strength as Christians. I had an aunt and uncle in the ministry that I sometimes stayed with in the summer. My aunt would thank Him for the answered prayer even before it arrived. That was evidence of her faith like that mentioned in this verse.

Once again today, the brick wall my son encountered disappeared, and he knew that God answered another prayer.

I used papers from my scrap drawers, Spellbinders Nestabilities Scalloped Ovals and Floral Ovals to make this card and a lovely piece of Basic Grey ribbon. The verse I used comes from Our Daily Bread Design's "Scripture Collection 3."  I also used their card sketch from this week's Shining the Light Challenge:

Thank you for visiting and may God increase your faith with answered prayer.

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:
Amusing Challenge - Ribbon (or twine) and no digi
Card and Scrap #57 - Use text
Cupcake Craft Challenge #247 - Sentiment as the main focus
Desert Island Crafts Challenge #56 - Used 1. die cuts, 3. patterned papers, 5. ribbon, and 10. Sentiment
Oozak #16 - Anything Goes with a Sentiment
Our Daily Bread Designs Shining the Light Challenge #159 - sketch
Path of Positivity Challenge #3 - "Strength"
Word Art Wednesday #85 - Scripture or encouraging verse

Perfect Sentiment Challenge #84 - Sun and Sand

Summer arrives this week on Friday and our weather man is predicting temperatures in the 90's, with lots of humidity. It would be perfect weather to spend on a beach somewhere, curling our toes in the sand, feeling the waves wash across our feet. Our challenge this week at The Perfect Sentiment is perfect for such weather - Sun and Sand:

CREATE A CARD FOR THE OCCASION OF YOUR CHOICE. USE BEACH THEMED IMAGES, EMBELLISHMENTS, OR PATTERNED PAPERS IN THE DESIGN OF YOUR CARD

The prize this week for one lucky entrant is a $5.00 Amazon gift card! I hope you'll join us for that opportunity.

My card used beach themed paper, "Surf's Up," from Close To My Heart. Each corner of the paper I used has one or two people in a beach scene. I fussy cut one corner and used the same corner of another sheet to fussy cut the large waves and flowers to pop dot on the original corner. The back side of that same paper gave me the sand colored, fabric textured background. The waves at the bottom were from another sheet in the collection, shaped with ric rac. A yellow piece of Basic Grey that was similarly textured was punched with a scalloped oval and stamped. Gold sparkles enhanced each scallop.

The outside sentiment came from CTMH stamp set, "Bright Sunshiny Day." I used two other stamps from that set for the inside. I especially loved the sentiment:

No matter the weather,

always bring

your own sunshine.

 

 

 

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:

ABC Challenges #33 - Summer theme
Crafty Sentiments Designs - Fun in the Sun

Eclectic Ellapu - Celebrate Summer Sunshine

Great Impressions June Challenge - Leave a little Sparkle

Lady Anne's Challenge #3 - The Great Outdoors

Mema's Crafts June Challenge -  I chose "Summer Vacation" option

Paper Creators Challenge #10 - Make it Sparkle

Scrappy Frogs - Summer Vacation

Stamp and Create June Challenge - Summer Fun

Word Play Saturday - Summertime

 

 

 

 



Twist of Faith #42 - Sketch (2nd post)

Here is another card made with this Twist of Faith sketch for this week. I used the DigiDarla Designs image called "Picking Grace."  The winner of our challenge will be able to select 5 digi images from the large collection of designs!

The verse comes from a Verve stamp set called Hope Blooms. The White Daisy and Pansy Purple cardstock, retired ribbon, and tiny blue flowers are from Close To My Heart. The two patterned papers are from Basic Grey's "What's Up" collection. I colored the image with Copic markers, making the flowers purple, like my favorites on our vacation last week - wild purple lupines in Lupine Meadow in the Tetons. Flowers bloomed in abundance everywhere we looked. So much beauty kept my heart singing praises to God, our Creator!

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:
Crafty Ribbons #48 - Anything Goes with ribbon
Created with Love #46 - my favorite things - flowers
Digi Haven - Anything Goes
Glitter n Sparkle #37 - 3 of something (flower embellishments)
Paper Nest Dolls Challenge #6 - Summer Lovin'
Word Art Wednesday #84 - anything goes with uplifting verse or Scripture

 

Twist of Faith #42 Sketch first post

I've been AWOL for a few days while we vacationed in Wyoming. We took my daughter, her husband, and her four kids to The Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. We stayed in a cabin in the woods and had an amazing time. I think that influenced my image choice and papers for this card. The challenge this week at Twist of Faith is to use this sketch:

We are being sponsored by DigiDarla Designs who is providing 5 free images to a lucky winner. I used her image called "God Loves You Nature 1." I used very old hoarded paper with pine trees and fish swimming all from Close To My Heart.

One of the reasons I chose this masculine image and different sort of sentiment was from something I'd thought of while I was having my devotional time the night before. I often see homeless men panhandling on the corner of some intersections when I drive into the city. I'm never sure what I should give them, but I truly want to help. I know that Christ would help them if He were here. I've given bottles of water and packaged granola bars as well as a little cash. That night I'd decided I would make up some simple, masculine cards with a Christian message and enclose gift certificate(s) to a nearby fast food place like McDonalds.

When I saw this image I knew it had the perfect sentiment for such a card. I want to share this idea with friends who may face the same situation. I will never forget the time I felt led to share money with such a man on the corner. As I told him "May God bless you," he came closer and fervently asked me to please pray for him. He told me his name and said he knew the Lord. The traffic light changed and I had to go, but I think of him still and pray when I do. If you have additional ideas about how to quickly minister in such situations, please feel free to share.

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:
A Gem of a Challenge #84 - Father's Day or Male
2 Sisters #148 -Just for Dads
Catered Crop - Masculine Card
Creative Creations Challenge #12 - For you Dad/masculine
Jellypark Challenge - Masculine
Lady Anne's Challenge - The Great Outdoors
Polka Doodles Week 24 Challenge - Male Theme
Scrappy Frogs Challenge - Summer Vacation
Simply Create Too #39 - Father's Day or Male
Word Art Wednesday #84 - anything goes with scripture or uplifting verse





 

Clearly Digi Stamps June Release - Framed Comfort and Make Believe

I was so happy to see the images being released today  at Clearly Digi Stamps for the June Release. My first set is four of the Framed Comfort digis that I used to make pages for my Scripture Display Album that is 6" x 6". I'm designing this gift album with verses of comfort for each page.

Digital Images - CDS Framed Comfort

Paper - Prima "Botanicals;" Basic Grey "What's Up;" Bazzill cardstock (brown); CTMH New England Ivy Cardstock
Ink - CTMH New England Ivy
Accents - CTMH gold ribbon
Tools - printer, Spellbinders foliage die; pop dots, sponge
Technique - Each printed embellishment was copied, pasted in a new file, printed a second or third time, cut out in layers, and pop dotted.

Digital Images - CDS Framed Comfort

Paper - Prima "Botanicals;" CTMH Gypsy dp
Ink- CTMH Spring Iris
Accents - ribbon from my stash, CTMH Sparkles Flourish
Tools - printer, Spellbinders Nestabilities Floral Oval die; pop dots, sponge
Technique - Each printed embellishment was copied, pasted in a new file, printed a second or third time, cut out in layers, and pop dotted.

Images - CDS "Framed Comfort"

Paper - Prima "Botanicals;" CTMH Chantilly; Bazzill cardstock
Ink - CTMH Spring Iris
Accents - CTMH flower, sorbet brad, sorbet ribbon; Really Reasonable Ribbon twill; small silk flowers
Tools - printer, Spellbinders Nestabilities Fleur de Lis Rectangles; My Favorite Things flourish die
Technique - the bird was copied, pasted into a new document, printed, partially cut out, and pop dotted so that the parts closest to us were dimensionally raised.

Images - CDS "Framed Comfort"

Paper - We R Memory Keepers "Anthology;" CTMH Clementine sorbet pattern; Bazzill cardstock
Ink - CTMH Spring Iris
Accents - Recollections flowers, lace unknown
Tools - printer, extra large corner rounder; 1.25" circle punch, pop dots
Technique - The Bible was copied, pasted into a new document, printed, partially cut out, and pop dotted so that the top pages were dimensionally raised.

The second set of images I used is called Make Believe which includes a mermaid and turtle as well. I used mine to make Father's Day cards for grandsons to give.



Image - CDS Make Believe colored image
Sentiment - original typed in Microsoft Word Black Adder ITC font
Paper - We R Memory Keepers "Anthologie;" Basic Grey yellow circle "Oh, Baby!;" Close To My Heart Colonial White cardstock, Bazzill (brown) cardstock
Accents - CTMH Heavenly Blue ribbon
Tools - Printer, 3" circle punch



Image - CDS Make Believe colored image
Sentiment - CDS Tiny Dinos and Photoshop text
Paper - Basic Grey "Lauderdale;" Close To My Heart Buttercup and Gypsy cardstock
Accents - CTMH chipboard arrow, white ric rac; buttons from stash, Making Memories "Grape" embroidery thread
Tools - Printer, Photoshop CS, CTMH Art Philosophy die cut, 3" circle punch, Cuttlebug embossing folders "Mesh" and "Tiny Bubbles"

Thanks for visiting. You can more ideas for these images and the others just released at Clearly Digi Stamps.

Perfect Sentiment Challenge #83 - For the Boys

I took my oldest grandson to the National World War I museum last week. It was an amazing historical collection. There were realistic scenes with audio that represented the hardships of the war for soldiers. I thought about that when I chose the image and sentiment about courage for this card. This week at The Perfect Sentiment Challenge we are honoring males again with this challenge:

CREATE A CARD WITH A MASCULINE THEME. YOUR CARD CAN BE FOR A BIG BOY OR A LITTLE ONE. DON'T FORGET TO INCLUDE A SENTIMENT ON THE FRONT.

Our sponsor is Beccy's Place. Beccy will provide 3 of her digis to one lucky winner.

The sentiment Beccy included with this digi stamp says:

"Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear." by Ambrose Redmoon.

I printed my image twice. Once on cream cardstock for the background and again on white, which I colored and fussy cut so I could glue it in place. I used gray Copic markers W1, N0, N2, and N4. The masculine paper is from Echo Park's This & That collection. I added some Close To My Heart hemp and self-adhesive Square Pewter Durables, which are quite masculine and match the top paper.

Thank you for visiting and I hope you'll share your own masculine card with us this week.

Perfect Sentiment Challenge #82 - Father's Day Card

My dad and my father-in-law have gone on to be with the Lord, but I still have my hubby and other males associated with friends or grandkids that I can honor with cards. This is one of the cards my grandkids can use to write a message to their dad. This week at The Perfect Sentiment Challenge we are honoring Dads with our theme:

CREATE A CARD WITH A FATHER'S DAY THEME. IF YOU DON'T CELEBRATE FATHER'S DAY FOR WHATEVER REASON CREATE A CARD FOR ANY SPECIAL MAN. BE SURE TO INCLUDE YOUR SENTIMENT ON THE FRONT

 

 

Our Sponsor is Robyn's Fetish who will provide 5 free digis to one lucky winner. I used their image called "Dad's Fishing Hole." 

The colors I used were inspired by Echo Park's masculine "This &That" collection. I cut out a couple of the travel/sports rectangles that matched the camping/fishing trip my grandkids are taking with their dad.  I combined two sentiments from a discontinued June stamp set from Close To My Heart. The burlap, Cocoa and Kraft cardstock, and wooden button were also from CTMH. The other buttons were from Basic Grey, tied with brown hemp from my stash.

I used this sketch from Little Miss Muffet Challenges to design my card:

 

 

 

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:

A Gem of a Challenge #82 - Summertime

Anything Goes #94 - Father's Day

Craft Lovin Challenge #1 - Father's Day

Crazy 4 Challenges #188 - Summer inspiration

Creative Craft Challenges #11 - For the Fellas

Little Miss Muffet Challenges #62 - sketch

Wags 'n Whiskers Stamps #105 - Father's Day

 

Twist of Faith #40

This week at Twist of Faith our theme is

TEMPLATES AND DIE CUTS!

This challenge, we want to see your creations that have used templates (cutting templates, doodling templates etc) and/or die-cuts!  Remember our 'twist of faith' your creation should also include a scripture, or quote or an uplifiting sentiment.

Our sponsor is StampArt Design by Kathryne. One random prize winner will receive their choice of 4 images from the SADK collection available at Whimsy Stamps  I used her image called "Gracie" and one of her Mother's Day freebie sentiments for my card today.

I started my card using Unscripted Sketches #213 as the basis for my design. (Then I really got into adding die cuts.)

My card base, flower layers, and leaves were cut out on the Cricut with the Artiste cartridge. Both of the brown mats were cut with Spellbinders Nestabilities "Lattice Rectangles." I colored Gracie with Copic markers to match the Basic Grey chevron paper from the KneeHighs collection. I sanded the edges of the flower layers and leaves, so they're highlighted a little with a white edge.

I hope you'll join the challenge at Twist of Faith this week and share your lovely cards made with die cuts or templates!

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:
Crafting When We Can #45 - Punches and/or Die Cuts
Cupcake Craft #245 - Summer Scene
Kaboodle Doodles #174 - For the Kids
Stamp and Create June Challenge - Summer Fun
That Craft Place - Dies and Punches
The Ribbon Girl June Challenge - add a die cut and use ribbon
Unscripted Sketches #213 - sketch

Clearly Inspired - Father's Day Heroes

 My dear hubby has been my own personal super hero for many years. He's tall, quiet, intelligent, and does amazing things at work and at home. Yes, he's becoming gray and balding, but that hasn't changed his heroics. He also delights the grandkids with his "silly," playful routines. Yet, more importantly, in everyday life, his thoughtful actions reflect those of Christ.

This is the second week of the Father's Day Heroes at Clearly I Stamp. Here's my sample using their hero that most resembles my dear hubby. The challenge runs until June 7th. The winner will get the stamp set which includes a younger super hero as well. I  hope you'll join us.

 I used this Deconstructed Sketch #103 for the design of my card:

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:
C.R.A.F.T. #209 - Father's Day/Male
Craft Lovin Challenge #1 - Father's Day
Crafty Creations #224 - Super Heroes
Deconstructed Sketch #103 - sketch
Paper Crafting Journey - Masculine Cards
Wags and Whiskers #105 - Father's Day

6.5" x 5" Father's Day Card Recipe:
Image - Clearly Digi Stamps - "Father's Day Heroes," and "Ties for Him" (sentiment)
Paper - My Mind's Eye Miss Caroline "Dilly Dally;" Close To My Heart "Dotty for You," "Cherry-O," "Grace"
Accents - CTMH baker's twine, corrugated star
Tools - printer, 3" circle punch