Give Thanks Fall Card

I found out that a "church camp group" formed from several of our areas local churches were just awarded the bid to purchase Wilderness Camp near our home. A couple of families in our church were very instrumental in getting this camp when it went up for sale. It meant a lot to me because I was blessed to have gone to church camp nearly every summer from age 8 to 16. I think it's a great experience to draw young people closer to God, to each other, and to His creation.


Here's a card I made for the couple who will be able to continue living at the camp.  I simply used scraps and embellishments I had on my table to put away. The front of the card uses the scripture word art from Word Art Wednesday last week. It fit the space as well as the intended message.

Here's the inside message:

Both of  the stamped sentiments, "Give Thanks" and "May the Lord bless you" come from a CTMH Hostess Rewards stamp set, Blessings of Autumn. The other materials are retired CTMH, Recollections glittery leaves from Michaels, and brown velvet corduroy ribbon from my stash. The frame diecut was cut using Cricut Art Philosophy. It was in my stack to put away, too, because when I cut it a couple of weeks ago it didn't work out. I don't know about you, but I enjoy making something useful out of a stack of unrelated items instead of tossing them.

Thank you for visiting and may the Lord also bless you!

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges;
Crafty Cardmakers #150 - autumn colors
Crafty Gals Corner #43 - anything goes
House of Cards -  I chose Add texture (burlap, leaves, brass button, velvet corduroy ribbon)

Stampavie and More #248 - Autumn Leaves
Suzie Bee's Bloomin' Challenge #103 - anything with twist-add leaves
The Sisterhood of Crafters - Fall
The Crafty Addicts #3 - anything goes and this autumn colored palette

Use Your Stuff #197 - Diecuts and/or punches
Word Art Wednesday #207 - anything uplifting

Shining the Light Encouragement Card

I'm working on a set of cards for a fundraiser auction in November. In our community there are no Christian stores where you can find a card like this. I chose a verse from Our Daily Bread Designs that means a lot to me. I'm often in need of physical strength that I no longer enjoy and entreat the Lord to help. I also seem to misplace things more often and pray desparately at times for God to help me find them. How thankful I am that He hears our prayers and shows us His love by providing the strength we need, whether physical, mental, spiritual, or emotional. The verse I chose from ODBD Scripture Collection 2, Psalm 138:3 says, "When I pray you answer me! You encourage me by giving me the strength I need."

I used the sketch from Our Daily Bread Design's Shining the Light Challenge this week:

There were some light blue dots on the top of the patterned paper, so I used a CTMH embossing folder called Confetti that has more dots on top and fewer on the bottom. I changed the angle of the lighting in this next photo so you could see the texture:

All of the materials used are older CTMH except for the ribbon from Hobby Lobby. I cut the background leaves and leaf border using Cricut Artistry and the darker leafy branch in the foreground was cut using Cricut Art Philosophy.  I honestly don't remember which cartridge helped me cut the sentiment shapes. Being able to save images on Cricut Design Space has advantages that I love, but makes it difficult to remember which cartridge was used. Even so, The Cricut Explore is my favorite cutting tool.

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:
Alphabet Challenge - R for Ribbon
Crafting-with-Friends Challenge #8 - anything goes
Hiding in My Craft Room #221 - favorite cutting tool - mine is the Cricut Explore!
MyTime to Craft #306 - Autumnal Colors
Our Daily Bread Designs Shining the Light Challenge #258 - Sketch
Suzy Bee's Bloomin' Challenge #102 - anything goes with twist-autumn colors
Word Art Wednesday #205 - anything uplifting

Viva La Verve October Sketch 1 Thankfulness Cards

Is it obvious? I love fall colors, leaves, and the theme of giving thanks! I have a lot of fall leaves stamp sets. I used the rock and roll technique to color the edges of this retired one with different colors.

Here are the two cards I made using this sketch. I used one of the Verve Plain Janes, 1 Chronicles 16:34: "Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; His love endures forever." Both cards use my old retired CTMH papers that have autumn colors, since I am determined to use it all up.   All six papers used are from different packets, different years. The bronze shimmer trim is the only current CTMH product.

I used a beautiful word art from Word Art Wednesday from November 2014, "Giving thanks always for all things unto God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:20"  The words "always" and "all things" remind me that I need to be much more thankful and inclusive, thanking God for the big things, the little things, the good and the bad.

Thank you for visiting! I thank God for you and ask that He bless your creating that you, in turn, may bless others!

I'm sharing these cards with the following challenges:
All Sorts #333 - All sentimental
Alphabet Challenge - R for Ribbon
Crafty Friends #16 - use gems an/or pearls ( brown sparkles on my 1st card and black on my 2nd)
My Time to Craft #306- autumnal colours
Suzie Bee's Bloomin' Challenge #102 - anything goes with twist - autumn colors
Viva La Verve October 2015 Sketch 1
Word Art Wednesday #205 - anything uplifting (used their word art scripture verse)

Sangria Fall Leaves Thanksgiving Card

At Thanksgiving time we think of all the many blessings we have and thank God and our friends and family. I've become determined to give thanks more, even for the small things that might seem insignificant to some. There are times I'm amazed at the way some circumstance works out, knowing that God had a hand in it.  I find myself saying, "Wow! Thank you, Lord! I know you did this!" The inside of my card has a scripture from Word Art Wednesday from November 19, 2014. It's a lovely reminder that we should give thanks and praise to God.

I was inspired by the Mojo Monday sketch and the leaves and luscious fall colors in this photo from Craftin' Desert Divas:

This card uses the leaves from the CTMH  "Fallen Leaves" stamp set.
The sentiment was stamped with Versamark and gold embossing powder using "Thankful Heart."


I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:
Craftin' Desert Divas Linky Party - photo inspiration
Fan-tastic Tuesday #107 - anything goes (square/rectangle) with twist - autumn colors
Mojo Monday #419 - sketch
Ruby's Rainbow #115 - Autumn Leaves
Word Art Wednesday #205 - anything uplifting

5" x 6.5" Thanksgiving card Recipe:
Paper - CTMH Sangria paper pack 
Stamps - CTMH Fallen Leaves, Thankful Heart

Inks - CTMH Saffron and Cocoa for distressing and edges, Versamark for embossing
Accessories - CTMH Floral Embossing Folder; Ranger Princess Gold embossing powder; Spellbinders Circle Die and Fleur de Lis Squares die; hemp twine, pop dots, heat gun

A Thankful Heart with Sangria

I love autumn! Our weather has been sunny and pleasant. Only a few trees and my burning bushes have changed color in our yard. Most things are still green. But I'm anticipating beautiful autumn colors soon. Before the cold, gray days of winter arrive, this is a time for which to be thankful!

Here's my first card using CTMH Sangria paper with its lovely leaves. The vellum leaves are from Sangria Complements, and the Pomegranate colored flower is from the Sangria Assortment. The stamp is from the CTMH set Thankful Heart.  I colored the word "thankful" using the ShinHan Sap Green marker.

The inside has a verse that is beautifully scripted from Word Art Wednesday from November 12, 2014:  Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:20. 

What a challenge for us all to remember to be thankful for all things, the obvious blessings and the smallest details that we take for granted as well as the difficult or even heart-breaking trials that come our way. Thankfulness helps us grow closer to God and lets Him help us through the trials.

Thank you for visiting! May God richly bless you and help you recall all you have to be thankful for!

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:
2 Crafty Girls - Oct. Inspiration board - I used "Fall" and die cut machine
Fantabulous Cricut Challenge #262 -Autumn (used "Artistry" cartridge for die cut frame and mats)
Fan-tastic Tuesday #107 - anything goes (square/rectangle) with twist - autumn colors
My Time to Craft #306 - Autumnal colors
Robin's Fetish #285 - use lots of orange
Stamping Sensations October challenge - colours of autumn
The Crafty Addicts Challenge #3 - Anything goes with Autumn Colored Pallette
Word Art Wednesday #205 - anything uplifting

Autumn Colored Birthday Cheer

I think it will take me several weeks to move all of my craft supplies from several rooms to the new room my hubby built from our garage. It's wonderful to have more room and find new ways to organize so I can find things. I'm rediscovering so many OLD papers that I've decided to combine some old with some new to USE IT UP!  I combined some very old Autumn Terracotta and New England Ivy B &T papers with the new sunset link Nevermore paper. I used one of mt favorite old stamps for the blessing and flower with the new Sending Love stamp set. 
The extra leaf was cut with a Spellbinder die and my ribbon is very old CTMH that matches the colors.

When I stamped the flower I inked the leaves and flower top separately, stamped it second generation (by lightly stamping it on scrap paper), then rolled the edges of the flower in additional ink,


I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:
Creative Card Crew #98 - Ribbon
Everybody Art #340 - Flowers
Fan-Tastic Tuesday #107 - Anything goes with twist-autumn colors
Love to Scrap #63 - ribbon and/or lace
Use Your Stuff #195 - Use Ribbon
Word Art Wednesday #204 - anything uplifting

Savor Autumn Layout with Nevermore

When I saw the Nevermore paper pack, I didn't see Halloween screaming back at me. I saw more fall layouts. I really need a lot because my hubby and I love to take autumn photo trips.  This one below is what my scrapbook club will be doing on Saturday. I'm thankful for the beauty God has given us in the trees and flowers of autumn. We even captured a monarch butterfly probably refueling on its trip to Mexico. Having an arboretum in the Kansas City area makes fall photography especially enjoyable.

The Whisper gray paper has gears among other building symbols. I applied the gears idea to the idea of time and included a clock. 

 Here are close-up photos of the two stamped sentiments on the second page that are hard to see above. You can also see that I used marker to color the word "savor" on the cricut cut-out and the Cricut Artiste leaf that I colored with tiny drops of 3 reinkers spritzed with water on a large acrylic block. I pressed the leaf onto the blended ink and dried with my heat gun, which lightly curled the edges.

I will repeat the above sentiment from a CTMH Hostess stamp set: May the Lord bless you!

I;m sharing this layout with the following challenges:

Come and Get It - Happy Fall Y'all 

Crafting from the Heart #81 - anything goes 

Crafts 4 Eternity #247 - Tic Tock

Craft Your Passion #283 - anything goes

Fantabulous Cricut Challenge #262 - Autumn

Not Just Cards #25 - October - anything goes

Robyn's Fetish #285 - use lots of orange

12" x 12" two-Page Layout Recipe:

Papers - CTMH "Nevermore" paper pack; Slate and Colonial White Cardstock

Stamps - CTMH Blessings of Autumn (available only for hostesses)

Inks - Slate, Whisper, Sunset; Re-inkers: pear, goldrush, Autumn Terracotta

Cricut Artiste (leaves, clock), Artbooking ("Autumn," fall frame), Artistry ("happy" frame, "Savor")

If you have these cartridges and would like to use my file, you can find it here.

Other accessories: Cricut Explore; 4" x 5" acrylic block and mister/water spray and heat gun for coloring leaves

Gold Noel Card with "Twinkle"

It's about time that I got in the mood for making Christmas cards! October weather has been beautiful, but chilly. A reminder that cold, frosty days are on the way. Our home remodeling project is far enough along that hubby moved my scrapbook tables and many shelves to our lovely new room so I have room to craft again.


Here's my second card using the White Pines paper pack and the CTMH October Stamp of the month, "Twinkle." Yesterday's Christmas card was bold, today's is softer, a little more vintage.

I heat-embossed the ornament as well as the sentiment on vellum with Princess Gold embossing powder. I attached the vellum with one glue dot on the left and covered it with a Cranberry clip from the new Fundamental Assortment. I also added a strip of gold shimmer trim on the left and under each of the corners of the frame. I wanted some texture on the frame but the ornament was attached waiting for some ribbon. I used an embossing folder a new way, similar to the way we used to use embossing plates. I taped two edges of the frame inside one side of a CTMH Damask embossing folder. I pressed the back side of the frame's cardstock into the design using a wide embossing tool, then inked the raised portion on the front using the light tan Cashmere ink. All of the other edges of the papers were also sponged with that ink.  The frame and ornament are from Cricut Art Philosophy, the doily is from Cricut Artiste, and the green Topiary bough (from Paper Fundamentals, Adventure) is from the new Cricut Artistry.

I altered the width of the Art Philosophy ornament and frame so it would match the ornament stamp, which was meant to go with one from Artiste.  Using Cricut Design Space, you can unlock an image and alter the width or height. I determined what it should be by covering it with the correctly sized Artiste ornament and adjusting the dimensions until the ornaments were the same size. I wouldn't have worried about that except I liked the two attached so I could tie a ribbon around the attachment.

I used the leftover scraps to frame the sentiment inside. I think it's one I printed last year from Laurie Wilson at Doodle Pantry. I always love her sentiments, especially the ones that share the joy and love of the message of Christ at Christmas!

Thank you for visiting. Next week I'll share cards using some of the other images in this stamp of the month:

 

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:
A Snowflake's Promise Challenge #6 - Christmas or winter
Aud Sentiments Challenge #141 - Christmas
Christmas at Sweet Stampin' - Festive decor
Christmas Card Challenge #43 - anything goes
Crafty Boots - Gold or Silver
Crafty Cardmakers and more... #148 - make it sparkle
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra - anything goes
Fab 'n' Funky Challenge #275 - Anything Christmas
Where the HeART is Challenge #1 - add some text
Word Art Wednesday #203 - anything uplifting

Christmas Love Card with Twinkle

It seems every year CTMH introduces a stamp of the month geared toward Christmas. This is a reminder that I need to stop procrastinating and make a serious start on my Christmas cards! The new one this year, "Twinkle,"  has so many Christmas possibilities. Here's my first card. It's really simple and uses heat embossing with the CTMH Fine Detail Silver embossing powder. I used the larger ornament stamp and the circle sentiment.

 The ornament is from Cricut Artiste and the frame was cut using Cricut Art Philosophy. The Pear background cardstock has swirls, one of the new designs in the Paper Fundamentals Adventure Collection. The Cricut Artistry branch cut is from Topiary cardstock in the same collection. The fun silver embossed bow is one of the shapes from the Fundamental Assortment, Cranberry collection. I used silver Shimmer Trim and the slimmer Silver Foil Tape together on the left. The sentiment, Christmas Love, cried out for a few enamel hearts. 

Here are the acrylic stamps included in this month's stamp of the month.

 You can get it for the full price of $17.95 or you can do what I do and get it for $5.00 with a $50 purchase. Please continue to check back on my blog for more ideas tomorrow. You can also check out the artwork of other consultants in my group who are having a blog hop starting here.


I'm sharing this Christmas card with the following challenges:
A Snowflake's Promise Challenge #6 - Christmas or winter theme
Aud Sentiments Challenge #141 - get started on Christmas projects with Sentiment (they've had 2 free Christmas sentiments the last two weeks!)
Christmas Card Challenge #43 - anything goes
Crafty Boots Challenge - Gold or Silver
Crafty Cardmakers and more... #148 - make it sparkle
Fab 'n' Funky Challenge #275 - Anything Christmas
Where the HeART is Challenge #1 - add some text
Word Art Wednesday #203 - anything uplifting