Merry & Bright Snowy Woods

Have you ever walked through the deep woods of tall trees and heard them creak in the wind? It's erie and awesome.  I've had some of my best memories made during hikes in forests or woods. That's what my card today reminds me of. My brother's house is in the woods. A few years ago he took me on a four-wheel ride along the trails he made. He sees a lot of deer and other wildlife on his land so I send him a Christmas card with deer each year. I thought the color challenge at Color Throwdown would be the perfect combination for a woodsy Christmas card for him.

I cut the birch tree background and red birds with Cricut Artfully Sent and removed two of the trees to make room for the sentiment and snowflakes.  The evergreen tree is from Flower Market cartridge and the deer is from You Are Here.  The larger space between the trees was just the right size for the retired CTMH snowflake background stamp. I used Mink pigment ink and clear embossing powder to add a little sparkle.

The retired CTMH Falling for You green patterned paper had small lighter circles. I added a dot of Nuvo Crystal drops in each one hoping it would look a little icy.  The deer and birch tree background were attached to the card with Thin 3-D Foam Dots and the evergreen tree was a little higher since it was in the front so I attached it with regular foam dots.

Thank you for visiting! May you be blessed as you create cards to bless someone else.

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:

Aud Sentiments Challenge #208 - Christmas in July

Christmas Crafts All Year Round - add a tree

Color Throwdown Challenge #503 - Red, Green, Gray

Crafters Castle Challenge #7 - anything goes with option of Christmas in July

Die Cuttin' Divas Challenge #379 - Christmas in July

Dragonfly Journeys #123 - Christmas in July

Fab 'n' Funky Challlenge #404 - Christmas in July

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Christmas in July

Sweet Stampers Challenge #22 - Christmas in July

The Merry Christmas Challenge - anything goes Christmas

Psalm 86:7 (WEB) In the day of my trouble I will call on you, for you will answer me.

365 Promises of God - Promise #207: When problems arise, call to Me and I will answer you.

Non-Traditional Colors Manger Scene

The challenge at International Art and Soul got me thinking about my favorite Christmas tradition. I try to  to remind my grandchildren of the true meaning of Christmas, that God sent His promised Son, born of a virgin, to live among men and to die for their sins. The story is both humble and holy. I always set out a manger scene when my kids were little and now they do the same for their kids.

 I had seen the challenge at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown to make a non-traditional card. I don't usually think of cocoa, purple, orange, pink, and gold to represent the night Christ was born, but scraps I had out on my table seemed to work well together with a Cottage Cutz manger scene die. The purple Pansy paper from Make Waves with white dots reminded me of a starry sky. I thought the Tangerine and Blossom dots could be a stream of light from the star that shone so brightly that night.

The die actually had the star attached to the manger, but I trimmed off the Cocoa star and cut just that edge of the die with Gold glitter paper and placed it high in the sky.  I used scrap paper to try different patterns of light until I found one I liked and traced it onto the Tangerine and Blossom dotted paper. I started to make it big enough to hold the sentiment, but in the end decided the sentiment looked better outside the spotlight. The gold edges are made from Gold Shimmer Trim.

Thank you for visiting! I hope you will also make cards that spread the joyful message of the true meaning of Christmas!

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges;

52 Christmas Card Throwdown - Non-traditional Christmas Card
Aud Sentiments Challenge #208 - Christmas in July + a sentiment
Christmas at Sweet Stampin' July Challenge - anything goes Christmas
C.R.A.F.T. Challenge #477 - Christmas
Crafter's Castle Challenge #7 - anything goes  option/Christmas in July
Crafty Catz Challenge #426 - anything goes with Dies and Punches
Crafty Galz Corner #170 - Christmas in July
Dragonfly Journeys Challenge #123 - Christmas in July
International Art and Soul Challenge #38 - Christmas Traditions
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Use a die or punch

Happy Day Pineapple Card

The good thing about having to stay off your feet to let them heal is that you can sit in the craftroom and create more. I decided to take a break from Christmas cards to make several summer cards, especially from the retired CTMH Calypso papier pack. My son and his family are going to a Florida beach on vacation next month. Here's one card I'll give to them because they talked about how much pineapple was served in their buffet meals.

This card required no stamping, just Cricut cuts and a sticker sentiment., perfect for the  Unstampabelles challenge, which also asked us to make a fancy border or frame. I put two Cricut cut frames together to make this one. I was also inspired to use pineapple patterned paper and Cricut cut when I saw the challenge at City Crafter for Pineapples:

The kraft frame had a solid center and lighter mat on top so I selected and ungrouped the two layers then sliced so the smaller mat shape became a cutout. Then I was able to add the leafy frame under it. I cut the pineapple with a yellow and a green base so I could make the leaves a different color. I inked the yellow leaf outline with Sweet Leaf. I cut up and stacked the layers with the appropriate colors.

Thank you for visiting! May you be blessed as you create cards to bless others!

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:

Cardz 4 Galz Challenge #76 - Food or Drink
City Crafter Challenge #421 - Pineapples
Crafty Friends Challenge #88 - Food or Drink
Two Sisters on the Blog #17 - Fruit
Unstampabelles Challenge #81 - Fancy Frame or Border

Isaiah 58:7-8 (WEB)
7 Isn’t it to distribute your bread to the hungry, and that you bring the poor who are cast out to your house? When you see the naked, that you cover him; and that you not hide yourself from your own flesh? 8 Then your light shall break forth as the morning, and your healing shall spring forth speedily; and your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of Yahweh shall be your rear guard.

365 Promises of God - Promise #204: If you share with the needy, My glory will guard your back.

Strength, Peace, and Comfort

One of the things I love about crafting is that I can do most of it sitting when I'm battling illness. This weekend I've barely been able to walk thanks to auto-immune challenges. It seems to attack a variety of joints and tendons. This time my foot and ankle have it the worst, with joints all over joining in after a couple of days, so I finally relented to take the steroids to stop the progression, gritting my teeth against the side-effects. And I was thanking God for wheelchairs in the urgent care office!

What made me smile was the Bible verse and devotional I read today at 365 Promises. I usually share the promise at the end of my posts, but today's verse said, " He makes my feet like deer’s feet, 
and enables me to go in high places."   So my faith was bolstered by the similarity and I'm asking for deer's feet after two days of not being able to walk without severe pain.  You never realize how much you have to walk or stand until you can't and need someone else's help. (Thank you, dear hubby!) I usually don't like to share my weekly battles with health issues because they're pretty frequent and I don't want to sound like a whiner, but sometimes it seems to be appropriate to share what encourages me, hoping it may encourage someone else, too. 

The other thing I love about crafting is being able to use my craft to let others know how much I care, especially when I can't get out of the house as much as I used to.  More than anything else, it gets my mind off of my own pain and on how I can bless someone else. One of my friends from church lost her sister, so here is the sympathy card I made for her today to let her know I'm praying for her.

I have Christmas paper pack scraps out on my desk, so I gleaned the gray x paper and gold stripe from last year's CTMH Silver and Gold paper pack. I'm still using long-retired CTMH butterflies. I added black dots with Nuvo Crystal Drops.  The PTI sentiment was stamped on vellum with Black StazOn and framed by the Reverse Confetti die cut.

Thank you for visiting! May God strengthen you during life's challenges and help you to encourage others with your cards!

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:
Addicted to Stamps and More #301 - anything goes
Craftaholics R Us Challenge #29 - anything goes
Crafting By Designs - anything goes
Crafty Catz #426 - anything goes with dies or punches
Creative Fingers #150 -  anything goes
Moo Mania and More - butterflies
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge  -  use a die or punch
Sum More Fun Mood Board #33 - I chose the butterflies
Word Art Wednesday Challenge #344-345 - anything goes
Habakkuk 3:19 (WEB) Yahweh, the Lord, is my strength. He makes my feet like deer’s feet,
and enables me to go in high places.
365 Promises of God - Promise #203: I will strengthen you with feet like a deer so you can reach great heights.

Blue Gingham Jolly Christmas Card

In the hot days of July it's soothing to focus on Christmas in July creations. And besides, Christmas is such a joyful time to remember with all the celebrations with family and friends.  I've made quite a few Christmas cards this week, not taking time to post, but looking at the gray deer leaping at the bottom of this PML card and strip of gray patterned paper from retired CTMH "Oh Deer," I thought they would work well with the colors from this week's Color Throwdown challenge:

I thought the border of leaping deer looked like they were excited and  jolly so I chose a sentiment to express that.

 I used the solid back of an old Star Spangled Blue patterned paper and gingham. The sentiment from retired "Frosted Cardmaking Workshop" was stamped with Star Spangled Blue ink, long retired. The aqua snowflakes were cut with one of my favorite recently retired CTMH dies. This card is the reason I never get rid of retired items. They can be combined to give them new life! I actually like what I made better now than what I would have made in 2005!

Thanks for visiting! I hope you have a joyful time making creations to celebrate Christmas with those you love.

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:

A Snowflake's Promise #53 - anything goes
Aud Sentiments #208 -  Christmas in July
Color Throwdown Challenge #502 - cobalt blue, aqua, gray, white
C.R.A.F.T. Challenge #477 - Christmas
Shopping Our Stash #362 - Christmas in July
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - use a die (or punch)
The Holly and the Ivy Christmas Challenge #32 - anything Christmas goes
The Merry Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas
The 12 Months of Christmas Challenge #43 - anything goes

Psalm 30:11 (WEB)
You have turned my mourning into dancing for me. 
You have removed my sackcloth, and clothed me with gladness,

365 Promises of God - Promise #201: I will turn your mourning into dancing and surround you with joy.

Black and Silver Christmas

In the heat of summer it's nice to think cool thoughts and make snowy Christmas cards. I thought the color challenge to make a Christmas card with black and silver or gold would be fun to try.

I still have some CTMH Snowhaven paper that is black with a pattern of snowflakes.  I added silver foil paper, a silver glitter paper snowflake from Cricut Flower Market, silver shimmer trim, silver sequins, and a transparent strip with silver dots (the other side has gold dots). I even traced the white sentiment from a CTMH Silver and Gold PML card with a shimmer brush but the glittery shine didn't show up in this photo.

Thank you for visiting! May your crafting bless your heart and your gifting bless others.

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:

52 Christmas Card Throwdown July Colour challenge - black and silver or gold

A Snowflake's Promise Challenge #53 - anything goes

Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge #394 - anything goes/ option to use a die cut

Creative Craft Cottage Challenge #109 - the most wonderful time of the year (Christmas!)

Heart 2 Heart Challenge - Christmas in July
Ike's World Challenge #110 - anything goes/ Christmas in July
Shopping Our Stash #363 - Christmas in July

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Add a little sparkle

The 12 Months of Christmas July Challenge- anything goes

The Merry Christmas Challenge - anything goes

Psalm 138:7 (WEB)

Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you will revive me. 
You will stretch forth your hand against the wrath of my enemies. 
Your right hand will save me.

365 Promises of God - Promise #198: I will save you in the midst of your troubles.

Be Joyful in Hope

This weekend my stamping club met. One of my friends had fallen down an entire flight of stairs, spent Friday in the ER, and wasn't well enough to be with us. I stamped this card to encourage her. 

I wanted to let her know we were all praying for her pain and healing. (Ouch! I'd seen her huge black bruise!) It was miraculous that she didn't have any broken bones. I thought she'd appreciate the words from Romans 12:12, "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer."  We all have different afflictions at varying times. We often ask others for prayer, but I loved the idea that the hope we have that God will ease our struggle should make us joyful!

I used to help my grandfather plant and pick his organic strawberries on his farm and I'd raised strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries myself, so this PTI stamp appealed to me. I had seen a similar card stamped on Kraft by Heather Nichols last month and wanted to try these berries and some white flowers on Kraft cardstock. CTMH White Daisy pigment ink worked perfectly. I used New England Ivy for the leaves and stamped each berry by inking it with Pomegranate and touching the tip of it with Eggplant, then stamp, aka "rock and roll" technique. Some CTMH ribbon and white enamel dots finished the front.

Thank you for visiting! May you also find joy in hope during times of affliction.

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:

Crafting with Friends Challenge #71 - anything goes

Creative Fingers Challenge #150 - anything goes

Fashionable Stamping Challenge #137 - use your inks anyway you want ("rock and roll" and white on kraft)

Simply Create Too Challenge #140 - no patterned paper

Simply Papercraft Challenge #59 - anything goes

Stamping Sensations July Challenge - In my garden

Word Art Wednesday #342-343 - anything goes/free scripture art

1 John 4:18 (WEB)
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, 
because fear has punishment. 
He who fears is not made perfect in love.

365 Promises of God - Promise #197: My perfect love will banish fear from your heart.

With Lovingkindness

The last two weeks our news has been filled with news about the lost, then rescued soccer players who were trapped in the cave in Thailand. It was heartwarming to see so many people from so many countries go there to help locate them.  Everyone shared talents and resources to aid in their rescue. There is a universal understanding of a parent's love for their children and how they would do anything to find them. Now the news is still filled with follow-up stories about the boys, their families, and those who worked to rescue them. Imagine how God's love for us is similar, wanting to fellowship with us, rescue us, and more. 

I chose a verse from last year's June 21, 2017, Word Art Wednesday that I thought expresses that. Jeremiah 31:3, " The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love, therefore with lovingkindness  have I drawn thee." (I think drawn is like drawing water from a well when you pull it up, not drawn like drawing with a pencil.)  I love this verse! I see evidence of God's love every day and know that He wants to comfort and strengthen me as I get older and face challenges.

I had wanted to make a card expressing this sentiment that is vintage for Pile It On. I stamped butterflies and leaves using a CTMH Chelsea Gardens stamp set and used some Graphic 45 paper with the red dotted Laced with Grace from Glitz Design.  I chose this sketch from Feeling Sketchy:

Thank you for visiting! May you see the blessings of God's love in your own life and draw closer to Him!

I'm sharing this sketch with the following challenges:

Crafting By Designs - anything goes

Crafty Creations #370 -  Anything goes

Creative Moments Challenge #148 - anything goes

Fab 'n' Funky Challenge #402 - gingham

Feeling Sketchy Challenge 

Moo Mania and More Challenge - butterflies

Pause Dream Enjoy Challenge #28 - anything goes

Pile It On Challenge #144 - Vintage/retro

Word Art Wednesday Challenge #342-343 - anything goes

Romans 5:5 (WEB) and hope doesn’t disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

365 Promises of God - Promise #192: I have poured My love into your heart by My Spirit.

Color Dare Hello

I wanted to make a feminine card that I can give to my sister. It's rather generic so I can write an appropriate message inside. She's playing the waiting game between medical tests and doctor visits. She has a pituitary tumor and doesn't know yet what the surgeons will want to do depending on the size. She's constantly in my prayers. The unbelievable thing is that she's my second sister with a brain tumor. The positive thing is that the first one was removed without too many negative side effects.  I'd be happy for you to pray for my sister, Susan, too. Her health isn't good due to a muscular dystrophy that keeps her in a wheelchair much of the time.

I was inspired to make this card using the Color My Heart Color Dare #300:  Bashful, Pacifica, and Mink. I was also inspired to use more than two dies by the Crafty Cardmaker's Challenge. I cut the Bashful doily patterned paper from Beautiful Friendship using a doily piece die from Tim Holtz Sizzix Thinlet. I added a Mink heart border with the CTMH heart border die and the retired CTMH "hello" die for the sentiment. I used Cricut Artbooking to cut two Bashful pieces. I stamped the CTMH doily-type pattern ("Sweet & Lovely" Artbooking Cricut Bundle stamp set) on the light side of the smaller one and matted it on the darker, larger piece. I stamped the pattern using Bashful ink, restamping two times to make it dark enough to show the lovely pattern. To embellish I added Bashful glitter paper and Bashful pearls.

Thank you for visiting! May you be blessed as you bless others with your creations.

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:

Color My Heart Color Dare #300 -  Bashful, Pacifica, and Mink
Crafting from the Heart #214 - anything goes
Crafty Cardmaker's Challenge #215 - used more than two dies
Heart 2 Heart Challenge - Anything goes
Paperminutes #545 - Ornamente
Pearlie Sparkles Challenge Blog #30 - Girlie + use pearls
Word Art Wednesday Challenge #342-343 - anything goes

Micah 7:18 (WEB)
Who is a God like you, who pardons iniquity,
and passes over the disobedience of the remnant of his heritage? 
He doesn’t retain his anger forever, because he delights in loving kindness.

365 Promises of God - Promise #191: I forgive sins and I love to show mercy.

Solos 65th Birthday Card

Most of us don't get too excited about adding another year as we get older, but I've noticed an interesting phenomenon. With older already-retired adults reaching their 60's who have to pay for their own health insurance in our county, they look forward to Medicare at age 65. There is only one plan available in our rural county and it costs over $1300.00 every month! Even worse, it has such a huge deductible it doesn't pay for anything. So I made a masculine birthday card celebrating the BIG 65 using the large Solos number stamps for 6 and 5.

I cut out the large circle and made a circle frame using Cricut Explore. it left a space large enough for any of the large numbers to show. I gold embossed both numbers.  You can use my cut file if you'd like to have a window large enough for these solo number or anything else.

Thank you for visiting! May you have a blessed day!

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:

4 Crafty Chicks #410 - Birthday

Creative Knockouts #253 - Birthday

Dragonfly Journeys #121 - stars and stripes

Everybody Art Challenge #428 - birthday

Paperminutes #544 - sequins

Seize the Birthday - birthday plus add sequins

Jeremiah 31:3 (WEB)
Yahweh appeared of old to me, saying, 
Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love: 
therefore with loving kindness have I drawn you.

365 Promises of God - Promise #188: My love for you will last forever.

Stampaganza Blog Hop

Welcome to our blog hop featuring the Solos stamp sets. I hope you get some great ideas! If you just came from Brandi Robinson's blog, you're on the right path. To see the entire list of participants, visit Melinda Everitt's blog.

Stampaganza means that this month all Close To My Heart stamp sets are on sale, buy two and get one of equal or lesser value free!  They also brought back previous stamp sets of Solos letters and numbers. They can be purchased individually or in bundles at even a greater discount!  I used the Solos 3 and 9 to make this card.

I liked the way the numbers are flat on the card so that I could add gold glitter gems, which add dimension, without making it too bulky. I used a PML card with an arrow that came with the Central Park papers.  I also used a "YAY" banner that was in the Central Park complements and stamped "Happy" using the Central Park Cardmaking stamp set.

The letter stamps are filled with little designs, words, and shaped phrases that can be used for random stamping backgrounds or in little collections of embellishments. Here's another one that uses the solid and outline flowers from the Solo Z stamp set:

(I shared additional artwork using the solos stamps in my previous three posts if you'd like to go back later and check them out.)

You can check out all the stamp sets for sale with your CTMH consultant or here on my website and the limited release of the solo stamps here.

Thanks for visiting! Now you're ready to see the creation Lauren Moore has for you.

You Make Me Smile

This is a quick post to share another card using one of the Solos stamp sets as part of the Stampaganza special this month. This one uses two of the flowers from the Solos Z set for random stamping the background and as embellishments:

I chose a CTMH sentiment that goes with the Smile quote from Time Out Challenge: You make me smile without even trying.

Thank you for visiting! I hope you'll visit our blog hop starting late tonight! 

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:

heartful stamping challenge - anything goes with stamping

Time Out Challenge #113 - Inspired by words: smile quote

Word Art Wednesday #342-343 - anything uplifting

Exodus 15:26 (WEB)

and he said, “If you will diligently listen to the voice of Yahweh your God, and will do that which is right in his eyes, and will pay attention to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you, which I have put on the Egyptians; for I am Yahweh who heals you.”

365 Promises of God - Promise #187: I am the Lord your God who heals all your diseases.