Mojo Monday Live Beautifully Mother's Day Card

I have been blessed to have a wonderful mother-in-law, Virginia! She's 92 years old now, but still has the loving, gracious personality she's had all these years. She was a teacher like me and always encouraged me.  On Virginia's birthday last month, I presented her two large scrapbooks that celebrated her life.  I've done this each year since her 90th birthday. I always have more layouts to add each year. She never seems to tire of the layouts, photos, and stories.  Her delight and comments make all this scrapbooking worthwhile.

With National Scrapbook Month coming May 1st, I thought I'd use the amazing paper pack and stamp set that CTMH has as a special treat for us in May.  The floral and gold foiled papers are elegant and perfect for Mother's Day. So was the sketch at Mojo Monday this week.

I wanted the beautiful papers in the background to show the most possible so I made the middle layer gold dotted vellum from the All  About Gold Fundamentals paper pack. I edged it with the gold shimmer brush but the lighting didn't show it very well.  The sentiment panel is backed with gold glitter paper. It was stamped with a sentiment from the CTMH retired "For Family." I had spent time practicing making bows thanks to Bonnie Darby's tutorial video's. on Really Reasonable Ribbon's blog! I used an old black organdy Ribbon Round to make this double layer double bow.

The rose was stamped first with Thistle ink then with Cotton Candy. I had tried several combinations to get colors that matched the paper and this one was the best. I used the Gold Shimmer Brush on the center of the rose. I added three gold glitter gems to complete the gold embellishments.

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:

CCEE Stampers #1717 - floral image for National Garden Month
Crafty Cardmakers #187 - pearls and/or gems
Fussy and Fancy #186 - anything goes
Mojo Monday #494 - sketch
Really Reasonable Ribbon #162 - Put a bow on it
The Ribbon Girls April Challenge - use any image with ribbon

Words of Encouragement with One Sheet Wonder Cards

I'm often late to participate in trends or fads. I just found a need to make a lot of cards for our local store and use up lots of my paper stash. When I discovered One Sheet Wonder patterns on Pinterest, I finally joined the trend. Here are the first seven I made after a quick cut of the pieces along with die cut words and coordinating stamps.

Using the flower paper from CTMH La Vie en Rose was a good choice for the cards with three strips or three squares. I loved the way the pattern matches from strip to strip.

I had found the "prayers" set of die and sentiment stamps at Simon Says Stamp.

The rest are found at Papertrey Ink. I liked the versatility of these sets because each had a variety of beginnings and endings that can be matched with the die cut words to fit the situation of the recipient.  One additional feature of my cards is that I cut a black mat for each piece. I thought it would take a long time, but I looked at the size and added almost 1/4" on two sides for a contrasting mat. The black hearts were stamped and one black glitter paper heart was added for simple embellishment.

This week I just found that another CTMH consultant, Kathleen Androlewicz, used the same One Sheet Wonder pattern with the Dreamin' Big papers that you can see here.

Thanks for visiting! I hope this inspires you to make your own encouragement cards using One Sheet Wonder patterns!

I'm sharing this project with the following challenges:

Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper April Challenge - anything goes with patterned paper
Crafty Creations Challenge #340 - anything goes
Crafty Gals Corner Challenge #120 - anything goes
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - anything goes
Word Art Wednesday Challenge #280 - 281 - anything goes/family friendly

New Driver's Birthday Card

In May, my oldest grandson turns 15 and is able to get his learner's permit to drive in Missouri. Exciting and frightening! I made this card for him with the encouraging message that he may plan his way, but the Lord is there to direct what happens to him. When I think back to my own driving, I've been constantly reminded over the years of God's watch care when I've come close to having an accident. Those incidents always ended with a sigh of relief and a prayer of thanksgiving for His protection.

This card was inspired by the challenge at Mustard Seed Faith challenge - Traveling Mercies.  The Verve scripture verse I included from Scripture Medley 3 says,

"A man's heart plans his way but the Lord directs his steps." Proverbs 16:9

The sketch at Atlantic Hearts this week worked well with the paper I used, leftovers from a 2005 CTMH pack called Road Trip and a coordinating stamp set with the same name.

All of the materials except for the three top stars (unknown) and black and gold ribbon  are old retired CTMH products. I stamped the car with retired CTMH Star Spangled Blue ink to match the background paper and fussy cut that one and an orange matching car that I pop dotted for dimension. I chose the sticker from the same paper pack for Interstate 15 since my grandson is turning 15! The kraft corrugated star was highlighted with the gold shimmer brush.

Thank you for visiting! May God guide and protect you on your daily journey through life!

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:

Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #209
HeARTful Stamping Challenge - anything goes plus stamping
Mustard Seed Challenge #3 - Traveling Mercies
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Numbers
That's Crafty Challenge - Outnumbered
The Paper Girls Challenge #126 - Numbers
Try It On Tuesday Challenge - Transport
Word Art Wednesday #278-279 - anything goes family friendly

Sweet Birthday Wishes

Someone asked me last week to make a bunch of children's birthday cards because she has so many grandchildren!  For this post I'll share the outside of two "girl" cards that were inspired by the challenge at Bitten By the Bug2 this week, "Sweet." Images and word for the first card were cut using Cricut Artistry. The cone and sprinkles were stamped using CTMH Sugar Rush Scrapbooking stamp set. I printed the rest of the sentiment using Word.

This second card's cupcake is from Cricut Doodlecharms. I embossed the white background with Cuttlebug's "Happy Birthday" folder. The "chocolate icing" was also embossed and I lightly rubbed a small chocolate pigment ink pad over the raised portion. I added some Sugar Rush glitter gems. I used a bone folder to emboss lines every 1/4" on the cupcake base.

I'm sharing the first card with the following challenges:

Bitten By the Bug 2 - the word SWEET
Make My Monday Challenge #44 - Embossing, heat or dry
Ooh La La Creations #226 - Birthday
Pile It On #129 - interactive and/or Birthday
Send a Smile 4 Kids - punches and/or die cuts

Mojo Monday 493 - Scatter Kindness Like Confetti

 When I was a girl in 6th grade, our public school teacher, Mrs. Schrader, had a large copy of the "Golden Rule," which came from the Bible,  in front of our class. At the beginning of the year she had all of us write our own copy, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." She was a great influence on our class and probably for many others over the years. She would have loved the sentiment I used today. If only the whole world practiced the idea of KINDNESS, this world would be a much better place.

I loved this Verve sentiment and flower from "Kindness Matters." .They were perfect for my Mojo Monday card for this week. Here's Julie's lovely sketch:

I used CTMH Sugar Rush paper and a Hello Lovely PML card that both resembled confetti.

Thank you for visiting! I challenge you to scatter kindness everywhere and watch your world follow your example!

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:
Mojo Monday #493 - Sketch
Sisterhood of Crafters - Stamped image, not digi
Try It On Tuesday - Add a Quote
Word Art Wednesday #278-279 - anything goes/family friendly

Happy Easter - Celebrate the Saviour!

On national news yesterday they showed a segment where they interviewed young children who looked to be about five or six years old, the age I often used to teach. They asked them what Easter was all about and a few specific questions about what did Jesus do, etc. The answers seemed funny, yet not so funny. They thought Jesus brought Easter eggs, candy, etc . If you know the real events of Christ's death and resurrection, I hope you'll make it clear to the young children in your lives. I plan to do that tomorrow at our family gathering.

I used some old lavender striped paper long retired from CTMH and an unknown floral. The die cuts were all cut using Cricut Design Space. The sentiments are all from the PTI set "Alleluia."

Thank you for visiting! May you find the peace, joy, and blessings of following the risen Saviour!

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:

Crafting with Dragonflies #78 - Easter card
Creative Knockouts #189 - Buttons, Buttons
Deep Ocean #152 - Easter
Inky Chicks #81 - Use Purple
Little Red Wagon #389 - Happy Easter

Yellow, Green, and Gray Easter Cards

After making a bunch of flowery feminine Easter cards I wanted to make a few more that were more Clean and Simple or masculine. I'm not sure if this set of cards fit that plan, but they were fun to make!  The YNS Sketch and Color Challenge #61 seemed like perfect inspiration for these cards.

I made several of these but here are the two main versions. I used yellow, green, Whisper gray, Slate gray, and black from the color challenge. I only vaguely used the sketch, but it gave me the idea for my card. I wanted to use a woodgrain background and this light gray birch bark background from CTMH "Oh, Deer" seemed nice for a springtime card.

The main difference is what portion of my green scraps I used for the word Easter. One part of this scrap (from retired CTMH "Tinkerin'") had the look of yellow paint. I wasn't sure I'd like that but in the end, it was my favorite.

To stamp just one word in a set of words, I place a piece of scotch tape over the unwanted word, ink the stamp, pull off the inky tape which leaves the unwanted word in-inked, and stamp the single inked word you want.

I used the same lily stamp on the inside with the sentiment stamps that are also in the set.

Thanks for visiting! May His love fill your heart, too!

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:

Crafting with the Dragonflies #78 - Easter Cards
Crafty Catz #365 - anything goes with option of Easter
Dies R Us Challenge #70 - Easter, with die cuts (tag and happy)
Stamps & Fun = Creativity #299 - spring or Easter

Your Next Stamp Challenge #61 -  sketch and colors

4.25" x 5.5" Card Recipe:
Paper - CTMH White Daisy, Whisper, Slate cardstocks, Oh, Deer and Tinkerin' retired CTMH dp

Stamps - CTMH retired His Love (lily and inside sentiment); ODBD Tulip Tag Set (word Easter)
Ink - CTMH Slate (lily outside), Sweet Leaf (lily inside), Memento Tuxedo Black (text)
Markers - Copic YG00, YG03; Y11, Y15;
Tools - CTMH "happy" word die; MFT StitchedTragTagStax Die-Namics, Scotch tape

Mojo 491 Dream Big Card

I missed scrapbooking with friends yesterday due to the onslaught of auto-immune symptoms that have been flaring up the last three weeks. This afternoon my swollen fingers allowed me to finally create a little, but this post will be short. I always hate missing the Mojo Monday challenges. Julie's sketches work so well! My friends created with  CTMH Dreamin' Big yesterday so I used these and some leftover complements to make a bright, cheery card!

Thank you for visiting!

Paisley and Gingham Easter Card

I give my family Easter cards that celebrate that first Easter Sunday when Christ arose from the dead. This was my hubby's favorite from the ones I've been making. This is my second card that uses a  Cricut Lacy Label, three stamps from the Papertrey Ink "Alleluia" stamp set, Spellbinder Foliage Two leaves, and papers from my very old Close To My Heart background and texture packs that seem perfect for Easter and spring. The stamped sentiment says, "He is Risen! He is risen indeed!"

Thank you for visiting! May you be blessed by the risen Lord!

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:
Come and Get It - Easter
Craftaholics R Us April Challenge - Easter
Creative Moments #115 - anything goes with option of Easter
Deep Ocean Challenge #152 -  Easter
Dies R Us Challenge #70 - Easter
Do-All Kreatives #4 - Easter
Inky Chicks Challenge #81 - use purple
Mustard Seed Faith #2 - Easter
Scrap From Your Heart #8 - Spring colors/Easter
Sweet Stampers Challenge #5 - Easter or Spring

Kaleidoscope Easter Card

I found a new challenge last week called Mustard Seed Faith Challenges. This week the challenge is to make something for Easter. I appreciated the idea shared that Easter isn't just one day to celebrate in a year but what affects life every week, every day for those who believe in Christ's gift of salvation. For me it's a daily relationship with a living Savior who took my punishment for my sins so that I could receive that gift and have a close personal relationship and share eternal life with the Lord. Sometimes a man may have died for a friend or family, but only one who was the sinless Son of God could take our punishment when He died and better yet, rise again from the dead to show us that life is eternal.

I love this sentiment stamp from Paper Trey Ink using Matthew 28:6 that expresses that He is a living Savior. History records that over 500 people saw Him after He arose from the dead before He ascended to heaven. For me, His Spirit speaks to my heart each day and He's always near to help, comfort and guide me. So I agree with the writer at Mustard Seed Faith that Easter impacts my life every day. I hope you'll visit their blog and check out their beautiful creations.

Thank you for visiting! May you be blessed by the risen Lord!

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:

Come and Get It Challenge - Easter
Craftaholics April Challenge - Easter
Dies R Us Challenge #70 - Easter with die cuts (Cricut and Spellbinders leaves)
Do-All Kreatives #4 - Easter
Just for Fun April Challenge - Spring/Easter
Mustard Seed Faith - Easter
Scrap from Your Heart #8 - Spring colors/Easter
Sweet Stampers Challenge #5 - Easter/Spring

6.5" x 5" Card Recipe:
Papers - Close To My Heart "Kaleidoscope" paper pack, Pixie, Sweet Leaf, White Daisy cs
Stamp - Papertrey Ink Alleluia stamp set
Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black
Embellishments - Recollections paper flowers, CTMH Purple Hearts, retired CTMH brads
Tools, Spellbinders Foliage die, Cricut Lacy Labels Cartridge on Design Space

April Stamp of the Month Blog Hop - Flock Together

Welcome to our April Stamp of the Month Blog Hop! You may have just come from Krista  Hershberger's blog.  If you just started here and would like to see the entire list of participants or get lost along the way, you can find them on Melinda's blog. 

This stamp set has the cutest quail which I used to make a variety of cards.

I used random stamping on the background of the first card:

The other three cards I envisioned as a scene for each one, using a watercolored background for this card. I pounced some Saddle reinker on the bottom using wadded plastic wrap. The quail were stamped with black pigment ink and clear embossed. They were colored using a blending pen with ink and watercolor pencils. (The other similar one was given to my artistic grandson for his birthday since he recently emailed me a photo of his own animal artwork.)

While making this last card I thought about my daughter and her four children when we've hiked together on trails at an area botanical garden/arboretum. I added a plant that I cut using Cricut Artistry and flowers from Cricut Flower Market.

Thank you for visiting! Now you're ready to go on to Miss Carrie's Creations to enjoy her artwork!