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

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.

Silhouettes of Christmas Doves

During the winter and late spring we were feeding birds outside our kitchen window. So many birds came to the feeder, we had to put down bird seed in several wide swaths on the patio to accommodate all of the hungry visitors.  Late in the season when doves arrived I could see why they are often portrayed as symbols of peace. They weren't pushy like the blue jays and some sparrows. They slowly, gently walked into a group to feed. Although they were bigger than the sparrows and juncos that we had so many of, their behavior seemed to say, "You go first, I can wait" or "it's your turn-you need it more than I do." At the time, I thought we could all take a few lessons from such birds.

I made two Christmas cards with a vintage silhouette digi of two doves from Free Trinkets and Treasures with the PEACE sentiment. I changed the colors from black to a peaceful light blue.

I embossed the white card base with snowflakes and used some very old CTMH Sweet Home papers that matched the blue of the doves.  I die cut the image panel with PTI 's Pretty Brackets die and snowflakes from silver glitter paper and added a bow with white and silver ribbon.  I used leftover paper to add more interest to the inside.

Thanks for visiting! May you be blessed as you create Christmas blessings for others!

I'm sharing these cards with the following challenges:

A Snowflake's Promise Challenge #52 - anything goes
Christmas at Sweet Stampin' June Challenge - anything goes
C.R.A.F.T. Challenge #472 - Christmas

Crimbo Crackers Challenge #160 - anything goes Christmas
Pile It On Challenge #143 - All sorts of holidays
The Holly and the Ivy #31 - Anything Christmas Goes

Winter Wonderland - Christmas Birds

Ephesians 3:20 (WEB)
Now to him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly
above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,

365 Promises (of God) - Promise #167: I am able to do more for you than you could possibly imagine.

Audrey - Wonderful, Unique, Love You!

As a retired reading teacher I was attracted to the Library Challenge. This card is based on Breakfast at Tiffany's. I combined it with the color challenge of red and teal from Double D challenge.

I saw the movie when I was a young adolescent and the main impression that stayed with me was the quirky, Holly Golightly's dialogue. I inserted a quote from the book about her that I wanted to put on this card for one of my friends who has a degree in theater. The narrator told Holly, "You're wonderful. Unique. I love you." I thought it went perfectly with this digital stamp of Audrey Hepburn, who played the leading role.

I've been following Ginny Maxim's blog for a couple of years and this was one of the vintage digital images she shared with us in 2017. I inserted the quote.  I cut out the image with the PTI Confetti Mix and Mat die. The red CTMH retired Heartstrings paper has a subtle heart pattern to go with the theme of "love you." Because Tiffany's implies jewelry I added gold sequins with sparkles in the middle and some heart sparkles. I added a sparkle flourish overlapping the image necklace and extended to be a bracelet.

Thanks for visiting! May you also be blessed as you share your love through cards!

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:
4 Crafty Chicks #406 - Love is in the air
Allsorts challenge #471 - Ladies Night Out
Craftaholics Challenge #23 - Love You card

C.R.A.F.T. Challenge #471 - ribbon and sparkle
Crafty Catz Challenge #420 - anything goes with option ribbon or twine
Double D Challenge - Teal and Red color challenge
The Library Challenge - Breakfast at Tiffany's inspired by character Holly Golightly and Tiffany setting

James 1:17 (WEB)
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above,
coming down from the Father of lights,

with whom can be no variation, nor turning shadow.

365 Promises (of God) Promise #163: Every good gift that you receive comes directly from My hand.

Mojo Monday #486 Sketch

This card has a story. Wednesday evening I had decided I hadn't used my scripture stamps as much lately, so I got out my box of ODBD and Verve stamps and considered what to use. Thursday I was deciding what paper to use, I organized  a stash of my very old retired spring-colored papers from CTMH, selecting some Black and White "Silhouette" and pastel colored "Paper Garden."  Then I needed to meet someone in town in the early evening. Just before I left I thought I should quickly check email since I hadn't checked it all day. I had an amazing email from someone who wanted me to make more scripture cards for our local store that sells my cards. She gives them to her friends and family but had just received one of my get well cards in her door from a neighbor as she was leaving for the doctor's. She wanted me to know how much my cards meant to her.

She said something that stuck in my mind that I think those of you who are cardmakers can also take to heart:  "Thank you for taking the time to do what you do for so many others that you will never know all the stories." I thought about that all the way to town and back. My goal is to bless others, not to get recognition, but hearing her story brought the blessing back to me!  After I returned home, I responded to her kindness with an email sharing how God had prompted me to get my scripture stamps ready even before she made her request for more. I love to see the way He works in our lives!

The Mojo Monday sketch this week:

My first card had the rectangle shapes matted on Colonial White cardstock and two Colonial White butterflies that I sponged with Black, Buttercup and Baby Pink inks. For the sake of translation, the beautiful verse from ODBD Scripture Collection 1 says: "When I pray YOU ANSWER ME! You encourage me by giving me the STRENGTH I NEED. Psalm 138:3"--something I pray frequently!!

Then I decided that Kraft cardstock would help the patterns stand out along with a couple of Recollections Kraft butterflies:

I used a Petaloo flower for my circle element of both and embossed the background of the card with a CTMH floral embossing folder.

Thank you for visiting! The inside message (from ODBD "Hope") is "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him. Romans 15:13a" May God bless you and the recipients of your cards!

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:

CCEE Stampers #1709- Old stuff - My paper was from 2009 and this is my oldest Scripture Collection stamp I  from Our Daily Bread Designs

Mojo Monday #486 - sketch

That's Crafty - Just Words - words as the main focus

Word Art Wednesday #272-273 - anything family friendly

Gingham and Sweet William Birthday Card

When my hubby and I first married I was so excited to have a huge yard in the country, I planted about every flower imaginable. One of them was Sweet William, like my hubby's name. Most Sweet Williams come in shades of pink with white, although there are some that are lavender or purple.

I chose the ODBD Sweet William stamp set to make the flower for this card using the color challenge they have for this month. The sketch at Hand Stamped Sentiments was perfect for this card and I chose to use gingham patterned papers with 3 shades of violet and one of yellow, including a yellow gingham ribbon, mostly very old from CTMH. The purple glitter sparkles and glitter hearts are also from CTMH.  I used the ODBD All Occasion Sentiments for the greeting.

 

The colors of this card remind me of spring! I'm sharing this with the Our Daily Bread Designs Shining the Light Challenge #282 and Hand Stamped Sentiments Challenge #256.

Mojo Monday Hope Blooms Birthday Card

I wanted to use the largest flower in the Verve "Hope Blooms" set for this week's Mojo Monday #398 sketch below. Typical spring colors just didn't appeal to me. Somehow the first three colors from the DRS Challenge photo below seemed natural for this flower. Here's the result using Verve stamps and scraps of CTMH papers.

         

I stamped the flower with CTMH Black dye ink and let it dry for a few minutes before coloring it. I colored it with several Copic markers, three yellow Copic markers and two yellow red Copic markers. After cutting it out  I also cut along the lines to separate each petal.

I used several items starting with the letter "B" for the Scribbles Design Challenge. In addition to the Hope Blooms stamp and the Birthday sentiment, I used seven black buttons of different sizes. The burlap ribbon was from CTMH an I wish I remembered where I got the spool of twine. It's thin and really easy to thread through buttons and to tie.  The leaf was cut from Spellbinders Shapeabilities "Foliage" die.

Thank you for visiting! May the Lord bless and keep you!

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:

Creative Knockouts #90 - Sentimentally Yours
DRS Thursday Challenge #175 -colors above
Little Red Wagon #290 - To Die For - use one or more dies
Mojo Monday #398 - sketch
Scrapy Land Challenge #18 - Birthday + any brand die sold by Scrapy Land (mine is Spellbinders)
Scribbles Designs Challenge #29 - B is for . . . (black buttons, burlap, birthday, bloom)
Southern Girls #111 - Spots and Dots

He Is Not Here Daffodil Card

Daffodils in my garden a couple of years ago on March 27 and later on April 4th.

Every year around Easter my daffodils spring up out of their frozen beds just as if they had risen from the dead. Each year their yellow blooms seem to pronounce the resurrection message that Christ has risen from the dead. They also herald the glorious news that winter is over and, yes, once again, spring has arrived to infuse us with warmth, color, and new life, just like Christ is the giver of new life. This idea directed my choice of ODBD scripture stamps which said:

"It is true! The Lord has risen!" Luke 24:34     and    "He who has the Son has life. 1 John 5:12

Easter is about the Risen Lord. The apostle Paul told his contemporaries that Christ was seen  by over 500 people at one time after His resurrection. It was a detail his contemporaries could check. It's an amazing historic detail that encourages our belief. To me the resurrection is as important as His death to take the punishment for our sins. It tells me that his followers will also have life after death with Him as He promised. He met with His disciples during the 40 days following His resurrection and amazingly, after He ascended to heaven and His Spirit came to fill His followers, over 3,000 people believed in Him in one day when they heard this testimony about the Son of God and what He did in their own languages!(Acts 2:41)

Because my main image came in circle form, I decided to use the lovely sketch this past week at Deconstructed Sketch:

I used Pattie's Creations digi stamp: Daffodils Circle Scroll.  I printed it 3 times, colored the entire image, then colored just the daffodils, and finally just the centers with Copic markers, cut them out and pop dotted them in position. I embossed the blue background paper with a pinked, stitched border. I sanded the stitches so the white core shows through.  To make the extra two circles behind the daffodil circle, I trimmed the outer edge of what was left when I removed an orangish circle sticker, so you just see a thin line of white and orange. I embellished those circles with leaf flourishes cut with Spellbinders Foliage Two Shapeabilities and a few aqua dots. I chose the darkest dots for contrast. More details are listed below in the recipe.

Thank you for visiting. May the Risen Lord bless and keep you!

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:
Chocolate, Coffee, and Cards #89 - use a die cut (foliage)
Come and Get It - things that start with "B" - buttons, blue, blossoms
Craft for the Craic April - Die-ing for Spring or Easter (foliage die)
Deconstructed Sketch #197 
Fussy and Fancy #137 - Springtime flowers
Hiding in my Craft Room #196 - freestyle/anything goes
Open-Minded Crafting Fun #34 - Recycle something (cut out orange edge left over from a circle sticker)
Pattie's Creations Design Challenge #109 - Easter + use an image (mine is Daffodil circle from Pattie's Creations.)
Suzy Bee's Bloomin' Challenge #76 - anything goes with twist-use die (Foliage 2 die) or punch
Word Art Wednesday #179 - anything goes with family friendly project


5" x 6" Card Recipe:
Paper - Close To My Heart "Blossom," and White Daisy cardstock; sticker remnant from "Blossom" Complements
Stamps -  Pattie's Creations digi stamp Daffodils Circle Scroll; Our Daily Bread Designs "The Lord Is Risen"
Copic Markers:  Y11, Y13, Y17, Y21, YG03
Tools & Embellishments - Cuttlebug "Pinking Stitch" embossing folder, Spellbinders Shapeabilities Foliage Two die, CTMH sanding block, CTMH Aqua Dots, very old unknown button brads

Mojo Monday 392 with ODBD Shining the Light Challenge

I've been unavoidably absent here, but I'm hoping that will improve. We had Easter and two birthdays to celebrate out of town since I was here last. How thankful I've been for my daughter's family coming up to our farm (a very long drive) during their spring breaks off school. It's amazing to watch her four kids helping with the outdoor work that seems never-ending when growing season begins. They have endless energy! Her dear hubby has been pruning and cleaning up our orchard and clearing fence lines of the numerous volunteer trees while my hubby is immersed in huge remodeling projects here. It's obvious where we live that trees want to take over, making this pastureland a forest again.


As we age, this help has been a true answer to prayer. So I chose a verse from Our Daily Bread Design's Scripture collection 5 for this card:  "Call to me and I will answer you." Jeremiah 33:3

I combined this week's color challenge from ODBD Shining the Light Challenge #233 and Mojo Monday Challenge #392 Sketch:

My Spring Iris border was cut with a Martha Stewart punch and the frame from a Spellbinder's die.  I used CTMH white and silver glitter tape behind the verse, white sequins, and glitter jewel in the middle of unknown flower.

May you look to God for your needs and problems. He promises to answer us!

I'm also sharing this card with these challenges:

4 Crafty Chicks #241 - die cuts

Clear It Out  - anything goes/ stash item very, very old patterned papers (2005 & 2009)

Mojo Monday #392 - sketch

ODBD Shining the Light Challenge #233 - color challenge

Pile It On #64 - fancy frames and beautiful borders

Sister Act #101 - anything goes

Word Art Wednesday #178 - anything uplifting



Patient in Affliction . . .

Have you ever made a card because the message was just perfect for you, yourself? I started having one muscle spasm while I was scrapbooking with friends. By the time I left the church six hours later, the spasms were all the way up my back to my neck. By this morning they were all over my body, which meant it was time to take muscle relaxers. So I began selecting appropriate scripture sentiments that would encourage someone with such ailments. I like the idea of being "joyful in hope" because I hope tomorrow is a better day without the grogginess of muscle relaxers!


Here's the verse I chose from Our Daily Bread Designs stamp set "HOPE" :


"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." Romans 12:12

I used the color challenge from ODBD Shining the Light Challenge #225:

I used the sketch from Mojo Monday Challenge #383 Contest:

I'm also sharing this card of encouragement with Word Art Wednesday #169.

Thank you for visiting! May God fill your heart with hope and patience whenever you experience times of affliction. May you find a closer relationship with Him through prayer when difficulty arises!



ODBD Shining the Light Challenge 215- Great Is Thy Faithfulness

I was looking at stamp sets from Our Daily Bread Designs. Once I looked at this stamp from Scripture Collection 1, I've been singing one of my favorite hymns, "Great Is Thy Faithfulness." If you're not familiar with it you can see the lyrics and listen to this timeless hymn on youtube. Just as the hymn says "there is no shadow of turning with thee...Thou changest not, thy compassions they fail not. As thou hast been, thou forever will be. . . Morning by morning new mercies I see. All I have needed Thy hand hath provided. . ."  It is reassuring to know that as we see changes in our lives, God's love and watch-care never change.  He is always watching over us, showing His mercy and love for every new situation or problem. I'm sure this great hymn came from the verse I used. The version says, "Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: because of the Lord's Great Love we are not consumed. For His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness!" Lamentations 3:21-23


I often find hymns or scriptures that keep playing over and over in my mind as I go through my day. I truly believe that's one of the ways God's spirit speaks to my spirit and mind to focus on something in that verse. They also always encourage me, so I made this card of encouragement for someone else using this verse.

I used a glossy green pattern card base with a strip of glossy Lagoon CTMH Paper Fundamental and Black Glitter cardstock. Here is a close-up of the Lagoon cardstock which shows the glossy pattern.

 

The other side of the glossy cardstock has the same design in Lagoon and White, NOT embossed or glossy:

The two flowers are from retired CTMH ribbon. Also, I love making bows out of the woven edged organdy ribbon. I stamped the top and bottom edges of the Spellbinders Label 9 using a leafy branch from this CTMH "Lifetime of Happiness" stamp set:

 Thank you for visiting my card of encouragement using this lovely scripture stamp from Our Daily Bread Designs. My computer wouldn't let me give you a link to the store or specific stamp set, but you can find the link on the right side of their blog. In a world that's always changing, may God bless you and help you rely on Him in changing times.

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:

Anything Goes with a Twist #3 - twist- shimmer and shine

Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge - October-anything with patterned paper

Our Daily Bread Designs Shining the Light Challenge #215 - use any ODBD stamp set

Really Reasonable Ribbon #105 - anything goes with ribbon

Sister Act Card Challenge - anything

Word Art Wednesday #154 - anything goes with ODBD stamp

Dress for a Lady with Chalk It Up

When I was a teenager our girls group at church was challenged to memorize Proverbs 31: 10 - 31. The real challenge wasn't in the memorizing, but in living up to the high standards set in the beautiful verses. Many of them were for married women, but even as a teen I wanted to build godly attitudes and character encouraged in the verses. I designed this card with a young lady in mind. It was inspired by the sketch at Our Daily Bread Designs Shining the Light Challenge and Bitten by the Bug's 2 challenge to use a dress or dress form cut on the Cricut. This dress was cut using my Nifty Fifties cartridge and the tiny sorbet patterned paper from CTMH Chalk It Up.

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:

Bitten By the Bug 2 - Dress or dress form cut on Cricut
Little Red Wagon Challenge #252 - Girl Power
Loves Rubber Stamps Challenge #118 - 2 or more patterned papers
Our Daily Bread Designs Shining the Light Challenge #212 - sketch



PDE Linky Party #17 - dies or punches (scalloped circle punch)

Shopping Our Stash #166 - use things starting with ABC ( arrows on dress, blue papers, crocheted flower)

Word Art Wednesday #147 - anything uplifting

Mojo Monday 360 and Doodle Pantry Lily Card

My hubby and I met years ago where he was a chemist at Lily Industries (not the pharmaceutical company). I was just their summer temp since my regular occupation was teaching, which I loved. Three years later when we married, I carried a bouquet of Oriental lilies in honor of our meeting place. I also planted many lilies in our yard to remind us of that time and place of our meeting. Years later his company was sold to another company, so the name changed. This week is the official closing of his lab, which was moved to another state, so I made this card to give to one of his co-workers as a little "good-bye."

One of the lilies I planted was called "Mona Lisa" in honor of our daughter, Lisa. I colored the Doodle Pantry Easter lily to look like the beautiful lilies I love. This week's Mojo Monday sketch was perfect for the card. The white panel is embossed with chevrons. I added CTMH silver shimmer trim and a thistle diagonal striped ribbon with a glitter button on top. The background papers are from CTMH retired Lollydoodle. The lily petals were recolored with Copics: RV00, R81, R83, R85, RV04, RV25.


I used the following challenges to make my card:
Frosted Designs Friday Challenge - Chevrons
Just Add Ink #228 - Color Combo

Mojo Monday #360 - Sketch

Paper Creators Crafts #28 - Bows, Bling, Blooms
The Cutting Edge Challenge #8 - picture inspiration + die cuts - I used Spellbinders Floral Ovals.

Happy Trails Camper Card

This week I'm taking care of my three grandsons who love our camping and hiking trips. I think that influenced the subject of my card. I adored these fun images from Doodle Pantry called Happy Trails Camper.


I used one of the scenes Laurie made and added one extra tree behind the tent. The nice thing about using png digi files is that you can stack them into a scene. The word "UnBEARable"  was part of the set. I typed and added "When life becomes" and the inside sentiment "pray. . . and I'll pray, too."

I rotated the clean sketch from this week's  Freshly Made Sketches. I thought the clean look of this sketch was great for a masculine card.

Thank you for visiting.  May you, too, draw near to God for strength, help, and wisdom when times in life become unBEARable!

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:
Crafting for All Seasons #83 - feature a creature
Freshly Made Sketches #148 - sketch
 Ooh La La Creations #162 - scenic card
The Paper Players #207 - buttons
Whoopsi Daisy - "B" items (bear, buttons)

CTMH Lollydoodle Scrapbook Layouts and Cards

When I first saw the Lollydoodle paper pack in the Spring/Summer Idea Book this year, I thought I wouldn't use it that much. Little did I know that as I worked with it I fell in love with it. Here are three of the layouts I made from one paper pack. The first two are the designs I created using the stickers, Lollydoodle assortment, and the Flamingo Dots. The last one is part of the Workshop on the Go. Tomorrow is the last day that the CTMH Lollydoodle paper and embellishments will be available so I'm also re-posting my previous cards made with Lollydoodle.

I decided to make the last layout a heritage Easter layout with photos from my childhood. It uses the Cricut Artiste cartridge to make the background shape. The stamps and embellishments were part of the Lollydoodle Workshop on the Go.

I did make a 4th layout, but put it in someone's album so it wasn't handy at photo time. Here's the sample made by CTMH. This is NOT my layout or my photos. I'm including it for my customers who still haven't completed their layouts or added photos yet.



Here are the Lollydoodle cards I had previously posted.