Simple Divinity

I love to encourage others with scripture cards. Over the years I've collected a good number of stamp sets with Bible verses, many from Our Daily Bread Designs. Did you know they've recently changed their name to Divinity Designs? I've also been hoarding a lot of papers from previous Basic Grey collections, My conscience has been pricked again to attempt using them up. So I pulled out the Lemonade collection and began making simple cards with scripture and those beautiful retired papers. Here are the simple results :

I decided to make larger cards using the same design in order to create faster and use up more paper. Here's one with the same scripture that I already had out and on a block. I decorated both of these with stickers. The owl and sentiment are from Green at Heart, but it had similar colors as Lemonade. It's for my granddaughter who loves anything with owls.

Next I decided to use die cuts from my drawer of previously cut shapes. I inked the edges with long-retired CTMH Kiwi ink. I matched scriptures from the first set I had purchased from Papertrey Ink years ago. Both of these cards used smaller scraps of Basic Grey. I cut each scrap in half to make two cards:

I finished each card with some old CTMH embellishments. The entire process took three hours and I still have most of the paper pack left. I really need to do this faster and more often. If you have any suggestions for making more cards, using more of some long hoarded paper, feel free to share your idea in the comments.

Thank you for visiting! Blessings to you always!

I'm sharing this with the following challenges:

2 Crafty Critter Crazies Challenge #23 - anything goes with a critter
613 Avenue Create Challenge #218 - anything goes/ optional add a critter
Crafty Friends Challenge #102 - animals/birds
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper February Challenge - anything goes with patterned paper
Word Art Wednesday Challenge #372-373 - anything goes

Verse of the day: 

But I will sing of your strength; I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning. For you have been to me a fortress and a refuge in the day of my distress.

Psalm 59:16 ESV

Card for Encouragement and Faith

Time Out challenge this week has a beautiful quote that connects to the sentiment that I chose for this card of encouragement.

'Friends are connected heart to heart, distance and time can't break them apart'

I have some friends who are always on my mind and in my prayers. Sometimes we are connected as sisters in Christ, other times by similar interests or needs. Here's the first one I made using  my old Basic Grey "Oh, Baby Girl" papers.

I stamped the flowers using a 2008 CTMH stamp, "With Love." I admit, I don't throw out paper, stamps, or embellishments. (My only hope is that I can use most of them in this lifetime then let my friends take all that they want!) Buttons are another one of my hoarded items. I was happy to add them to the large centers of the flowers thanks to the Southern Girls challenge.

I'm sorry I couldn't get my camera to focus on the words because of so much white space. I used the top strip to focus, but it didn't help the words, which are the important message: "The Lord will see you through this tough time!" Both sentiments are from the Our Daily Bread Designs Stamp set "Faith Card Sentiments." I surrounded it with a circle shape from Cricut Flower Market.

Crafting When We Can Challenge #137 - flowers
Southern Girls Challenge-retro challenge - smash that stash - buttons and/or brads
Time Out Challenge #76 - Inspired by words
Word Art Wednesday #268-269 - anything family friendly

Take Heart Encouragement Card

News from around the world seems so negative sometimes that I know many people in many nations are facing problems that can be overwhelming. It's comforting to know that God is in control, in both good times and bad times, waiting for us to rely on His help, wanting to bless us through and after trials and troubles. Here's a verse to encourage someone who is troubled by the circumstances of life with this Scripture Series 3 stamp from Our Daily Bread Designs:

"In this world you will have trouble, Take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33

A week or so ago I saw a challenge to use red and pink. While I've been making lots of scrapbook layouts this week trying to use up some of my Basic Grey collections, I pulled aside some of the red and pink scraps for cards. I added two thin strips of CTMH Raspberry with hearts from the Adventure Fundamentals. The black silhouette is from Cricut Flower Market cartridge.

Thank you for visiting! May you see God's direction and blessing through life's problems.

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:

Come and Get It - 3 or more layers

Crafty Girls Creations #33 - anything goes

Crafty Sentiment Designs - Lace and/or Ribbon (my CTMH black flowered ribbon)

Die Cuttin Divas #302 - anything goes (Cricut cuts white sentiment shape and black fern)

Inspiration Destination #121 -  anything goes

Word Art Wednesday #268-269 - anything family friendly

Ambrosia Butterfly Hope

When I moved to my new scrapbook room a year ago I didn't unpack everything. This weekend I unpacked and reorganized my box of hoarded Basic Grey paper packs. I'm afraid you'll see a lot of upcoming projects using those papers. Here's my first set of encouragement cards using the fussy-cut butterflies and solid backgrounds from "Ambrosia."

Somehow the messy background reminded me of those messy times of life when nothing seems to go right. I stood at my kitchen window yesterday watching a shriveled oak leaf that looked like a butterfly float in the breeze. It went up and down and around through the limbs quite a few times reminding me that winter will pass and the springtime butterflies will return to grace the landscape with their colorful, graceful flights. Both nature and weather teach us so many life lessons on trust in God's loving care and hope during trials that I thought butterflies were perfect for the PTI Inspired Hope stamps and die set. I'm hoping they will encourage the recipient wit their colorful message.
I used the sketch from The Paper Players for the first card which is 5" x 6.5" in order to fit all the butterflies across. The rest of the cards in my set are the smaller size.

The first card also uses an ancient silhouette stamp from CTMH that was called "Treasure Life" to represent the largest diamond shape on the left of the sketch.

I made several of the smaller cards, even utilizing some of the butterflies that were incomplete to go partly off the paper as part of the design. (Why throw them away?)

To go with the Basic Grey "messy look" I chose to stamp the BG butterfly with Versamark and color over it with chalk. Each one was totally different.  I also added some chalk around the edges of the page similar to the BG paper on front.

Thank you for visiting. I leave you with the verse of encouragement inside: "May the God of HOPE fill you with all joy & peace as you trust in Him."  Romans 15:13

I'm sharing the first card with the following challenges:
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper January Challenge - anything goes
Let's Craft and Create Challenge #121 - Things with Wings
The Paper Players Sketch 329
Word Art Wednesday #226-267 - anything family friendly

Mojo Monday 436 Thinking of You Card

I haven't used any of my hoarded Basic Grey paper lately so when I pulled out a piece for my previous post, I pulled out the Euphoria pack, too. I know so many people who could use a card of encouragement that I really should be using this paper up.

The pale pink and green really make me think of spring!  So this card includes two of the stickers, flower and fern, from that pack along with the butterflies I stamped from the CTMH "Your Beautiful Self" set. I used the Mojo Monday sketch #436 and the colors from Color Throwdown #381.

 

If you're like me and get inspired by pastel colors to think of springtime, be encouraged. It's coming soon! Pass it on!

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:
Addicted to Stamps and More #182 - Make your mark ( used Copic Markers)
Aloha Friday Challenge #66 - In the garden
Color Throwdown #381 - pink, green, kraft
Crafting for All Seasons #120 - 3 of a Kind (butterflies, pink sparkles)
Crazy 4 Challenges - Spring
Let's Color Saturday Linky Party #4 - (I used Copic Markers)
Mojo Monday #436 - sketch
Sisterhood of Crafters - Think Spring

My 3 Amigos Sombrero Layout

When I saw the Fiesta challenge at Bitten By the Bug2 on Monday I had two old photos from 1963 sitting on my desk. I had no idea what I'd do with them, but they reminded me of my sisters and the time my grandfather encouraged me to learn to speak Spanish. I didn't think I had any Cricut cuts that might go with the theme of Fiesta, but thanks to "Destinations" and "Graphically Speaking" I came up with a couple.

I had already cut up four pieces of Basic Grey "June Bug" that I hadn't used, but could pass as a Mexican fiesta design, so here's the result:

I used the Graphically speaking hat and words as my title and combined it with cactus from the other cartridge. I'm guessing from my brief introduction to Spanish in 4th, 5th and 6th grades that maybe "amigos" is masculine, but it didn't worry me since I think it was a play on words from a movie or show. I added stickers to make the word "my."

The Destinations cartridge had the cactus and the adobe Spanish mission church with the words New Mexico, but it was easy enough to cut out the word "New" since my grandparents had just brought back the sombreros from Mexico.

Here's my cut file in case you use the Cricut Explore.  I used CTMH papers: New England Ivy, Lagoon, Poppy, and some retired scraps of beach paper and dotted gray.

I'm not sure if my grandfather would have been as proud of me becoming proficient in French instead of Spanish, but I wish I could have told him what an influence he had on me guiding me to higher education and to enjoy people from different cultures all over the world.

I'm also sharing this project with the following challenges:

Bitten By The Bug 2 - Fiesta theme
Crafty Boots Challenge - no stamps allowed
Crafty Girls Creations #15 - anything goes
PDE Linky Party #112 - anything goes

Mojo Monday for Much Happiness

Here's a card I made for a dear friend who inspires me with her art as well as her life. In her art, she always shares the new techniques and materials she uses. I seem to hear the latest from her before I see it on the web! In life, we share the same Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and the physical challenges we both face as well as the way He answers our prayers. What a blessing she is!

I used some of my old Basic Grey papers and ribbon (the one on top). I chose these three colors from the challenge at Just Us Girls:  TEAL, YELLOW, and GREEN. The ribbon and the inked edges have just a bit of  CORAL. The sketch is from Mojo Monday this week. To continue the green theme challenge from Clear It Out, I used a green scalloped circle stamped with New England Ivy ink and one of the flower layers is a green felt flower.  The yellow resin flowers and the teal sequins are from CTMH. The stamp I used is from Verve's "Brighter Days."

 

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:

Clear It Out - green and my old green stash items - old Basic Grey paper and ribbons, green felt flower
Crafty Boots Challenge - ribbon (or lace)
Crafty Gals Corner #19 - May flowers
Fan-Tastic Tuesday #85 - anything goes (square/rectangular) with twist - add some flowers
Just Us Girls Challenge #293 - use at least 3 of the colors
Mojo Monday #397 - sketch
Word Art Wednesday #183 - anything uplifting, family friendly

Praying for You Card

We live in a time when our world seems to be filled with illness, accidents, disasters and acts of violence.  Some people I know don't watch the news for that reason. I listen in order to find people, groups, or countries to pray for each time I hear the news. St. Luke's Hospital in Kansas City did a study a few years ago on prayer and the healing time of patients. They found that those who had people praying for them healed faster, even if they didn't know people were praying for them. I have always believed in answered prayer but it was nice to hear that confirmation.

"Call to me and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know." Jeremiah 33:3

My cards today are simply to share with someone that they have that kind of support in prayer. It's very comforting. 

I made two versions of this card using different Basic Grey papers and a lovely girl from Mo's Digital Pencil called "Zola," colored with Copic markers.

I colored the 2nd card using the Mod Squad Color Wheel Challenge. I chose red, yelloworange, and red violet to color my image.

May God bless you and may you see the power of prayer in your life!

I'm sharing this project with the following challenges:
Allsorts Challenge #306 - Bingo (I used diagonal: sentiment, flower, brad) both cards have a brad in the flower

As You Like It Challenge - favorite alcohol markers - Copics - the brush tip makes coloring a breeze the way I like to color. They also have an amazing group of colors.
Inspiration Destination #29 - anything goes
Mod Squad - Wheel in the Color - I chose red, yellow-orange, and  red violet to color the 2nd card
Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge #223 - one for the girls
Whimsy Inspiration #82 - color an image
Word Art Wednesday #179 - anything goes family friendly challenge

Viva la Verve February Sketch 4

One of my friends is getting ready to have back surgery this week. She's never had surgery before, and I've had plenty, so I've tried to share the good things that help me get through it all. The best idea I've ever heard came from a pastor's wife. She said that we are all body, soul, and spirit and that our soul is made of mind, will, and emotions. If we focus on Scripture, it ministers to our mind and spirit. Music ministers to our emotions. So scripture songs and hymns can ease the nervousness and fears that plague us before surgery or any other serious event.

I was worried before the birth of my son because he was supposed to be breech and I'd need to deliver him by c-section. A week later I focused on a couple of scripture songs while I was in labor . With no pain medication, I delivered him in two hours, simply, without a c-section, with controllable discomfort and no pushing!

Another time I took a hymnal and my Bible to the hospital the night before I was to have serious surgery. I read through many hymns and Psalms that night. The next day after surgery, I could hear words and verses of assurance playing in my head while I slept off the anesthesia and initial pain.

Here's the card I made with this in mind. I used this sketch from the Viva la Verve challenge, February Week 4and a Verve stamp. I was able to use the following palette from The Color Sisters by using some of my old Basic Grey papers. The pearls, rosette ribbon, leaf zip strip, and sweet leaf ribbon are all from Close To My Heart.

 

 Thank you for visiting.!  May the Lord bless you through the hard times.

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:

Bastel-Traum #26 - health, get well

C.R.A.F.T. #300 - get well, sympathy, sorry

Crafting Musketeers #23 - ribbon and pearls

Paper Creator's Crafts - ribbon, lace, pearls

Paperminutes #373 - Get Well soon 

The Color Sisters Palette #18

Try It On Tuesday - Pearls for girls

Viva la Verve February Sketch 4

Whoopsi Daisy - add a sentiment 

Word Art Wednesday #173 - anything uplifting

Christ Treasure Christmas Card

 Just a quick post to share today's Christmas card using Doodle Pantry's images from the "Christ Treasure" set. I loved using the Basic Grey "Nook and Pantry" peachy colored papers to coordinate with the holly.

This sentiment summarizes my feeling about Christmas: Christ came to be my Lord and Savior, now and forever.

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:
Basic Grey #110 - Anything goes
Creative Card Crew #51 - Holly or Poinsettia
Deep Ocean #67 - Something Old (Basic Grey "Nook and Pantry")
MilkCoffee Challenge - Christmas with non-traditional colors
Papertake Weekly - last Christmas Card
Ribbon Carousel #88 - Anything goes
Tuesday Throwdown #176 - What Christmas means to you
Word Art Wednesday #111 - Anything goes with Scripture or encouraging/uplifting words

Perfect Sentiment Challenge #98 - Fall or Halloween

This week at the Perfect Sentiment Challenge we are asking you to make a card for fall or Halloween with a sentiment on the front. I was without internet service for several days and couldn't download images from our lovely sponsor, Bugaboo Digi Stamps. Bugaboo will have free digi images for one winner of our challenge.


My card takes a different perspective of Halloween. I used paper and a sticker from Basic Grey to illustrate the dark, scary, or stormy times in life and a Scripture sentiment about how we need to trust in the Lord instead of being afraid.

 

Cricut Artbooking - A Heritage Christmas Layout

I had some old 1960's photos to scrapbook. They show my younger siblings at Christmas and on birthdays.  I'm adding this layout to an album I've been making of Christmas past that I take every year to my family Christmas gathering. My kids really enjoy seeing their relatives as young children.

I started this layout with some older Basic Grey paper and letter stickers, a Technique Tuesday title in a circle, and red velvet scalloped ribbon, . Then I got stuck and set it aside because I wasn't sure how to embellish this layout.

I opened my new Cricut Artbooking cartridge and found the answer! The snowflake border (p. 76) and individual snowflakes were great, especially with some extra sparkles. The brick overlay (p. 56, cut with real dial size) fit perfectly into one empty space beside the photo of my youngest sister visiting Santa. That segment seemed to need a little more, so I added the reindeer (p. 57). (Aren't they supposed to prance around on the roof beside the brick chimney?) 

The Artbooking cartridge is now available here!  I hope this layout gives you some ideas for your own layouts. I also hope it will give you the incentive to scrapbook older photos, something many of my friends want to just leave in boxes.

Come back to my blog early Monday morning (or after 8 p.m.CDT Sunday evening) and you'll be able to see lots of Cricut Artbooking projects. I'll be part of an Artbooking in August Blog Hop. Forty crafty artists will be sharing their layouts, cards, mini-albums, and 3-D/giftable items using this fun cartridge.


I'm sharing this layout with the following challenges:
Anything But a Card #24 - Christmas in July
Crafting for All Seasons #57 - Christmas in July
Crafty Ribbons #55 - use at least one circle (Technique Tuesday title and velvet scalloped ribbon)
Deep Ocean Challenge #57 - Christmas in July
Die Cuttin' Divas #126 - Anything goes
D.L.Art Thankful Thursday #114 - Christmas in July
Going Grey with Scrap-Creations - Anything goes
Hiding in My Craft Room #108 - Christmas in July
Inspire Me Fridays #114 - Anything goes
Lasting Memories #150 - Christmas in July

Clearly Inspired Challenge #55 - Some Like It Hot!

The temperatures outside today will be 104 degrees, so this new challenge is very appropriate. The local news keeps mentioning people in our area have died from the heat, which prompts me to pray for my daughter's husband and so many others who work outside with no shade for relief. 

Personally, I can't take the heat. However, I'm babysitting four grandchildren a couple of days each week and need to take them outside or on little "field trips" so that the three boys can burn up some of that aggressive energy. I've been praying for God's grace to help me adjust and I've considered these 102 degree days "training" for the trip we're about to take to Texas, where I know the heat will be even worse. 

It's amazing that Psalm 54:11 talks about God being our sun and shield, giving us grace and glory. The analogy makes me think of Him as one who warms our spirit, gives light to our paths and yet shields us from the negative things in life -  or perhaps even the extreme heat!

I used a rainbow of hot colors and a sun from the Clear Dollar Stamps digital image "Light of His Love" to illustrate this challenge.

I used this week's sketch from Mojo Monday Challenge #248 for this card.  I punched a 1.5" circle from the same orange designer paper, placed it over the sun image because the pattern in the paper reminded me of close up photos of the sun.  Then I dotted around it with red stickles for emphasis and contrast.

Whether you like the heat or not, may God bless you as you experience the warmth of His love and see His light working in your life today.

Additional Challenges for this card:
Catered Crop - rainbows or colors of the rainbow
Oozak Challenge #4 - bright colors
Mojo Monday 248 - sketch
Shopping Our Stash #58 - at least three from list. I used: ribbon, flowers, punch, die cut, rhinestones

5" x 6.5" Encouragement Card Recipe:
Images - Clear Dollar Stamps digis "Light of His Love"
Paper - Basic Grey "Life of the Party;" Close To My Heart Sunny Yellow, Dutch Blue, Cranberry, White Daisy cardstock
Copic Markers - Y13 Lemon Yellow, YR68 Orange, B24 Sky
Accents and tools - Prima flowers, red stickles, Making Memories Navy Blue ribbon, Close To My Heart Bitty Sparkles, Spellbinders Wizard Scalloped Ovals Nestabilities, Martha Stewart border punch, 1.5" circle punch, printer

Miss You Like Crazy - Viva La Verve card

I was remembering our men and women who serve our country and all the sacrifices they make when I made a card for the Viva La Verve challenge for May, week 4. This will be one of the cards I give to Operation Write Home. They send the cards overseas and our service men and women can select cards free of charge to write home. I thought the Verve sentiment "Miss You Like Crazy" was a great one for expressing their feelings of love (and maybe loneliness). This week Operation Write Home Stars and Stamps Midweek Challenge is to make cards that express love. I'm thankful for the opportunity to make cards for them and to keep them in my prayers as well.

Here is the sketch from Verve:

Challenges:

Basic Grey Challenge #68 - Anything Goes using Basic Grey

Operation Write Home Stars and Stamps Midweek Challenge - Love You Theme

Viva La Verve - May 2012 Week 4 Sketch

5.5" x 4.25" Card Recipe:

Paper - Basic Grey "Hello Luscious" and "Ambrosia;" Close To My Heart White Daisy and Breeze (retired) cardstock

Stamp - Verve "Hope Blooms"

Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black

Accents - 2" circle punch; Spellbinders Nestabilities Heart Circles; CTMH White Daisy grosgrain ribbon

Hebrews 13:15 for Word Art Wednesday

Word Art Wednesday always has lovely verses for us to use for their challenge. This verse from Hebrews speaks to my heart about the gift we can give to the Lord for all he does for us. Since the Hebrews were Jewish they came from a culture of making sacrifices to atone for sins. What a wonderful concept this was that praise can be our sacrifice. Verbalizing thanks for what the Lord has done is the gift we give back to Him.

I couldn't resist using the interesting palette from the Play Date Cafe one more time and the Deconstructed Sketch #49.

This card uses the paper from Basic Grey's "Eva" collection and a 3" circle punched from CTMH Outdoor Denim.  The organdy ribbon is also Outdoor Denim. Since the main image is the verse from Hebrews, I put flowers in a row where the sentiment would have gone.

May you find opportunities to practice praise and may God bless you as you do.

April Viva La Verve Sketch for Mother's Day

This month I'm making some Mother's Day cards for Send A Smile 4 Kids Challenge - cards that kids in the hospital can give to their moms. They are due by April 30th. You can find the details on their blog. I used the Viva La Verve April sketch for Week 1. 

The front of the card base was embossed with a Cuttlebug embossing folder. The layers were added. The flower/sentiment was first stamped with Sunflower ink, then colored with a Y13 Copic marker, then stamped with stamps from two CTMH sets. I made an identical card with a sentiment stamped with Verve sentiment plus the letters M-o-m. Send a Smile 4 Kids requests that you don't send religious cards since the nursing staff wouldn't know a family's beliefs.

Besides the papers used, I used three embellishments for the challenge1215 at CCEE Stampers -- velvet ribbon, a button, thin twine.  I folded a piece of red velvet ribbon, adhering it together with two small glue dots. I threaded the yellow button with the fine natural twine with the ends protruding from the back of the button. I used a glue dot to attach the threaded button to the ribbon then tied a bow with the twine on the back of the ribbon. I usually like to leave it a little loopy so it shows up behind the ribbon bow. This type of bow lays a little flatter than a tied bow when you're using thick ribbon like this velvet ribbon.

I hope you'll consider sending some Mother's Day cards to Send a Smile 4 Kids this month. And may God bless You!

5.5" x 4.25" Mother's Day Card Recipe:

Paper - Basic Grey "June Bug," (floral); Graphic45 "Fashionista" (blue/yellow dots), Close To My Heart cardstock

Stamps - retired CTMH (1st card); Verve Hope Blooms and Joy for the Journey

Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black; CTMH Sunflower

Other - Cuttlebug 5x7 embossing folder; Copics Y13; Martha Stewart border punch, Spellbinders Nestabilities "Lacey Circle;" 2" circle punch; Papertrey Ink natural jute twine; CTMH red collection ribbon and button from my stash.



MOJO Monday 236

Life has many disappointments, pressures, and uncertainties, so I want my friends to know that despite problems, there is always hope. One day my daughter called me when she felt so overwhelmed at work. She asked me to pray for her.  I did, and I also told her to  think about those things that are beautiful, a place, some flowers, a kindness, a friend, anything lovely so that the negative thoughts that can come with being overwhelmed will be shut out and unable to take root. I reminded her of the ideas in Philippians 4:8, Whatever things are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report, if they have any virtue or praise, think on these things.That is one aspect of this beautiful sentiment from Verve: Where flowers bloom so does HOPE. Flowers seem to cheer the sick or bereaved in our culture and to celebrate with the newlyweds. I made this card with bright, cheerful colors to go with meaning of this sentiment. Here's the sketch from MOJO Monday #236:

This Verve stamp set, Hope Blooms, has flowers as well as sentiments. I lightly stamped the largest flower before overstamping it with the sentiment. I wanted to use the large yellow ginham ribbon with the button and twin to go with Challenge #45 at Really Reasonable Ribbon - to use Buttons and Bows. I chose to use part of a flower strip sticker that went with the June Bug paper pack instead of a strip of patterned paper. 

May your life bloom with beauty, flowers, and hope!

6.5" x 5" Card Recipe:

Paper - Basic Grey June Bug; CTMH Dotty for You, Sunny Yellow and White Daisy cardstock

Stamps - Verve "Hope Blooms"

Ink - CTMH Sunkiss Yellow, Black

Other - Yellow Gingham Ribbon from my stash, CTMH Red button collection; My Mind's Eye Baker's twine, Spellbinders Nestabilities die, 2" circle punch