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.

Butterfly Wreath

It's no secret to family and friends. I love crafting, especially scrapbooking and cardmaking. Yesterday was National Scrapbook Day and I gave myself to craft almost all day. But I began the day with something else I love to do - writing personal notes or letters of encouragement in cards that I send. I sent three yesterday which is as fulfilling for me as making them. It may be a lost art to communicate with pen and ink instead of social media, but I still think it's important. I have a lot of handwritten letters from a long lost grandmother that are still dear to me. Who can ever find a facebook post from years ago with the same kind of personal touch?

Here's the card I made inspired by four challenges:

I used this week's Atlantic Hearts Sketch and Color Throwdown

I used the two Cricut cartridges for images, Flower Market for the wreath and Artistry for the butterflies. Feel free to check out my cut file.  I added neutrals, cream flowers and black. I stamped the kraft butterflies with a very old CTMH stamp set, Romantic Backgrounds. I stacked two of the butterflies attached with glue dots. I started to cut cream flowers but noticed some from my stash had tiny wooden beads that matched the kraft cardstock.

I love to dry emboss white backgrounds. This one uses a retired CTMH vine folder. The die cut sentiment is part of CTMH Thankful for You sitting on CTMH Coral Shimmer Trim.

Thanks for visiting! May God bless your crafting and your giving.

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:

Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #262 - sketch
Color Throwdown #491 - coral, green, kraft, white
Crafty Calendar May Challenge - Things with Wings
Fab 'n' Funky Challenge #392 - wet or dry embossing

365 Promises - Promise #126: My face will shine upon you all the days of your life.

Wedding Day Card

I thought  the colors at this week's Color Throwdown challenge were perfect for a wedding card I needed to make.

The sentiment design helped me determine where to put everything else on the card. One of the flowers included with that sentiment stamp set was a pansy. I know they usually have a yellow center, but I colored mine light gray and finished it with a clear glitter pen. Pearls and some very old lilac organdy ribbon were the finishing touches.

Thank you for visiting!
365 Promises, #115 - "If we are faithless, he remains faithful.
He can’t deny himself.” 2 Timothy 2:13 (WEB)

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:
2 Sisters on the Blog #14 - Wedding or anniversary
Allsorts Challenge Week #464 - use pearls
Color Throwdown #490 - light pink, light lavender, green, light gray
Die Cut Divas - anything goes with die cuts

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Flower power
Unicorn Challenge #31 -  use some ribbon
Word Art Wednesday #332-333 - anything uplifting

6.5" x 5" Card Recipe:
Paper - CTMH White Daisy cardstock, light gray floral paper from CTMH Basics Paper Fundamentals, unknown pink cardstock,
Stamps - CTMH Happily Ever After
Ink - CTMH Pewter
Markers - Copics: RV00, RV23, RV63, BV0000, BV00, BV04, N2, YG11
Embellishments - CTMH White pearls, retired spring ribbon rounds
Tools - PTI Mix and Mat Hearts die

'Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus

I have loved music since I was a young child. I remember singing my first songs in church when I was about three. Usually, I sang songs in children's church, but if I was in grown-up church and I recognized a song, I remember standing on the pew next to my parents and singing all the parts I knew with joy. With those experiences is it any wonder that I've been in love with the old hymns for over 60 years?  The songs and their words are deeply ingrained in my being and rise to the surface often to encourage me, to remind me of truths I need to remember.

Here's an encouragement card I made with the first line of one of those old hymns that reminds us that we can trust Jesus to help us through life's trials:

'Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus, And to take Him at His word. Just to rest upon His promise, And to know, "Thus saith the Lord." Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him! How I've proved Him o'er and o'er! Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus! O for grace to trust Him more!

I used the sketch from Freshly Made Sketches #331 and the colors from Color Throwdown #487:

 

Thank you for visiting! May you, too, be blessed by the Lord as you trust Him more and more!

I'm Sharing this card with the following challenges:

Color Throwdown #487 - pink, red, mint

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

Dies R Us #94  -  anything goes with brands of ies they carry

Freshly Made Sketch #331 - clean layout using sketch

Simply Papercraft #56 - anything goes
Word Art Wednesday #328-329 - anything uplifting

5.5" x 4.25" Card Recipe:

Papers - retired CTMH Sugar Rush and Lollydoodle

Stamp - Sweet 'n' Sassy Stamps Timeless Hymns

Embellishment - CTMH Black and White enamel dots

Tools -  Tim Holtz Thinlits Alterations die, Spellbinders Foliage die

Color Throwdown #451 Encouragement Card

My prayer list grew this week to include a neighbor, our former mail lady, who is back in the hospital with lung cancer and an eight year old  boy who has inoperable brain cancer, along with quite a few others in our church. I also watch the news and see situations that need God's help. My heart always breaks for all of them, so that certainly prompts me to pray. I also made several encouragement cards to send.

When I saw the group of colors from Color Throwdown #451 this week, I thought of a vintage type card using my old Plum Mist and Smokey Plum cardstock. I combined it with cream and cocoa/chocolate browns.

When I white embossed the flower silhouette it was just too white, so I used a light yellow Copic marker over the white to make it match the cream colored papers. I also flicked two shades of brown on the middle of the butterfly with Copics.

 I had some pieces of Plum Mist stamped with script using Plum Mist ink. There was a blank area on the left so I filled it with an old stamp design (CTMH Adorable) using the darker Smoky Plum. I used a cream card base and cardstock, cream ribbon, Cocoa cardstock, Chocolate Pearls, an old stamp of the month for the flower silhouette, new butterfly stamp from Chelsea Gardens Cardmaking set, and a PTI scripture sentiments. The inside has this verse from Isaiah 40:31, "Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength, they will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."

May you be blessed as you share your creativity with those who have needs.

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges;

Color Throwdown #451 - light purple, dark purple, off white and brown
HeARTful Stamping Challenge - anything goes with stamping
International Art and Soul #27 -  use stuff you already own
Stamping Sensations - anything with flowers
Word Art Wednesday #322-333 - anything uplifting goes

God Bless You in Shades of Gray

I tease my hubby a lot because whether he's picking out clothes or new paint for the house, he always wants gray!  I say it's because all that gray in his hair has affected his brain! Yet, this year Close To My Heart came out with six new shades of gray! I was thrilled because I've always known there were more than two. In fact, there's more than six, but this is a great combination of cool and warm grays. I combined several of them with this card for the Color Throwdown Challenge #474, combining gray, ivory, and black. I used this week's Atlantic Hearts Sketch #245.

  

Here is my Cricut Explore cut file. It doesn't use a specific cartridge, just shapes, so anyone can use it.  I cut the gray hexagons just a little bigger than the holes. One hint: I traced each hexagon on the main panel, then glued the larger gray hexagons over each traced one. that way, when I pop dotted the top panel, the edges of the gray ones go beyond the holes. The white embossed sentiment is from the stamp set, God's Blessing.  I'm sharing this blessing card with Word Art Wednesday #316-317 this week. For the Simply Create Too Challenge #134, Embossing, the bottom third of the panel was dry embossed with the hexagon embossing folder setting it in the side of the folder so the hexagons would be oriented the same direction as the hexagon cuts.

Thank you for visiting! May God also bless you in this new year in your crafting and giving!

Adore You in Mint Green, Pink, and Aqua

Some days our world seems full of anger or hate. I'm a believer that we need to spread God's message of love and kindness much more instead. Here are two more cards I made using the January Stamp of the Month, Adore You. I stamped the images and text with Slate on one and black ink on the other. I think I don't care as much for the gray, although I thought it would be nice with the soft colors for this week's color challenge at Color Throwdown.

The three colored papers were scraps that were sitting on my desk. I'm not sure what the aqua blue paper was, but the pink heart paper is CTMH Blossom Fundamentals and the Mint Green is CTMH Sea Glass. Each card has the PTI diecut word "love" and one of the Scripture-related stamps that goes with love. The second card has shimmer mist on each flower but it doesn't show up thanks to so many cloudy days making photography by the window a little difficult.

To repeat the message of the first card, I hope you will do everything in love and, PLEASE, PASS IT ON!

I'm sharing this message with the following challenges:

A Gem of a Challenge #186 - Hearts and/or Flowers

Color Throwdown #427 - mint green, pink, aqua

C.R.A.F.T. Challenge #400 - Love/Valentines/Anniversary

Crafty Girls Creations #32 - anything goes

Creative Fingers #123 - Anything Goes

Daring Cardmakers Challenge - I Want More. . MORE .LOVE TO SHARE

Jo's Scrap Shack Fun-day Friday Challenge #173 - anything goes

Making Memories Crafting Challenge #1 - anything goes

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - anything goes

Simply Papercraft Challenge #43 - anything goes

Word Art Wednesday #266 - 267 - anything family friendly

Kraft, Gray, and Red Love

I'm sick today so I'm just making a quick card and post, which always helps me feel better! I thought last week's Color Throwdown with Kraft, Gray, and Red would be great for today's Mojo Monday!

 

I used the Hearts Thin Cuts, which makes a thin outline,  and XOXO, both from Close To My Heart. Thanks for visiting!

Mojo 442 Amazing Grace Encouragement Card

This month at Path of Positivity the focus is on GRACE. This word has many different meanings, but I chose to focus on the Grace of God. I've been reading a book by John McArthur called, At the Throne of Grace. I had found it at the library and enjoyed it so much I ordered my own copy at Amazon. It has scriptures and prayers from 52 of his Sunday services. I like a definition of grace he has on his website: Common grace is a term theologians use to describe the goodness of God to all mankind universally.

When I was young I don't think I understood the far-reaching impact of this concept. Now its something I think about often, that God's loving kindness extends to us even when we don't deserve it;. That's why I chose the Verve sentiment I stamped today: Amazing grace will bring us through. I want this card to encourage someone with the realization that no matter what happens to us in life, God's care and loving kindness will comfort and sustain us.

I was inspired to make this card by several challenges. The sketch from Mojo Monday 442 and the color palette at Color Throwdown #387:

The sentiment phrase "Amazing Grace" made me think about the famous hymn of that name, so I chose the pale yellow paper with a musical theme for the stitched square die cut, although I don't know its source.  The background aqua paper and orange polka dot strip are from  My Mind's Eye "Bloom and Grow," and the red plaid is a Basic Grey "Lauderdale" paper. 

On the inside I added the beautiful truth the Lord told Paul, "'My grace is sufficient for you: for My strength is made perfect in weakness.' Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me" 2 Corinthians 12:9.

Thank you for visiting. May you grow and flourish in the beauty, knowledge, and comfort of God's grace.

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:

ABC Challenge - E is for Everything

Color Throwdown #387 - aqua, red, orange, yellow 

Crafting from the Heart #106 - Anything goes

Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper April challenge - anything goes with patterned paper

Mojo Monday #442 - sketch

Path of Positivity #37 - Grace 

Sisters of Craft - anything goes

Word Art Wednesday #224-225 - anything uplifting

Hugs and Kisses Card

Here in Missouri on Tuesday we had about 10 - 12 inches of snow with 3 foot drifts my hubby had to clear from our long driveway. I'm thankful that we have a tractor in our barn.  He also cleared our neighbor's drive and our country road. The next day he woke up extra early to start the process again since it had snowed most of the night, with blowing and drifting. To his surprise, the neighbor had come over early with his tractor and cleared our drive so my hubby could make it to work. I'm thankful for good neighbors and glad we can give and share the blessings. Our homes aren't close together in the country, but our hearts are. Love takes many forms.

Today it was sunny enough to take photos of cards, with temperatures hovering around 0 F or below. I made quite a few during the storm. Here's one I wanted to share. It uses this week's Mojo Monday sketch. I combined it with the color challenge from Color Throwdown #278. I thought these papers from a Martha Stewart valentines paper pack fit the color challenge perfectly.

 I used a former stamp of the month from CTMH for the sentiment. The kraft cs is embossed with Tiny Hearts from The Paper Studio. Here's the color palette from this week's Color Throwdown and the Mojo Monday sketch:

The hearts are cut out of one of the shiny metallic foil decorated papers in the set. Here's a close-up.

 

Thank you for visiting. I hope you will find wonderful ways to share love with your family, friends, and neighbors. May God bless you with many expressions of love from others!

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:

Aud Sentiments #99 - Loving Inspiration

Color Throwdown #278 - colors

Craft Your Passion #199 - Love is in the Air

Kaboodle Doodles #209 - Valentine theme

Little Red Wagon #223 - Love

Mojo Monday #331 - sketch

Nutcrafters #61 - A little bit of love

Shopping Our Stash #137 - Love Me Tender/Valentines (made embellishments-hearts-from older dp)

The Paper Shelter #144 - used 3 dp (red and pink, multicolor floral, hearts cut from foil heart dp)

Best Mom Ever

I've been looking at a few old photos of my mom this weekend to decide what to scrapbook. Even though she's no longer here on earth with me, she seems very close in my thoughts. I had determined that when I think about her, I'd remember something good and try to bless another mother in her memory, so here's another Mother's Day card.

When I saw the sketch for Just Add Ink Challenge #115 I knew it was a perfect match for The Color Throwdown palette #189.  

They also went well with the Bingo at Flourishes Timeless Tuesday Challenge #166. I chose the bottom row, Blue, Flowers, Emboss.

The striped paper I had with my Stella and Rose "Mabel" paper pad was a fairly close match to these colors. I just added a punched navy blue border and a heart circle mat of a color close to the coral.

I used two different techniques on this card. First, I rubbed a Buttercup ink pad on the raised line design of the embossing folder, attached the front of the paper to the other side, closed the folder carefully and ran it through my Wizard. This way the debossed side shows the design with some color in the recessed area. I also inked a small rose stamp with Buttercup ink and sponged on some Sorbet along the edges. I chose those light colors because they do go together in nature, but also so that they wouldn't overwhelm the sentiment that I stamped over it using Outdoor Denim ink.

May God bless you with loving memories whenever you think about your mom!

Challenges:

Color Throwdown #189

Flourishes Timeless Tuesday Challenge #166 - Let's Play Bingo - blue, flowers, emboss

Just Add Ink Sketch Challenge #115

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

Paper - My Mind's Eye Stella and Rose "Mabel;" Close To My Heart Outdoor Denim, Sorbet, Colonial White cardstock

Stamps - CTMH rose from Roxie Workshop on the Go; My Favorite Things - "Clearly Sentimental About Mothers"

Ink - Buttercup, Outdoor Denim, Sorbet (CTMH)

Other - Cuttlebug embossing folder, Martha Stewart border punch, Spellbinders Nestabilities Heart Circles, CTMH cranberry grosgrain ribbon, Recollections floral embellishments

John 3:16 for The Sweet Stop Anniversary

Today I'm getting ready to go to an open house at the Christian school my three grandsons attend fifty miles away. It is such a joy to watch them grow as Christians (in grades 3, 1, and Kindergarten). They have been memorizing so many verses. This is the very first verse I remember memorizing as a child and it still means so much to me. I'm including it in the Little Birdie Blessings Linky Party that started today.

The Sweet Stop is celebrating its third birthday by having us choose which of their sketches we'd like to use. I wanted to use sketch 101 because I had typed John 3:16 and needed a horizontal panel that would fit the verse and a vertical panel for the Sweet and Sassy cross image. The palette from The Color Throwdown was perfect because of the flowers around the cross. I have a friend with an abundance of yellowish calla lilies in front of her house and some years I have purplish asters at my house (although they bloom at different times - sh-h-h!) Here are the sketch and beautiful spring colored palette.

Since my sentiment covers the bottom panel, I didn't include one on the left.

May God richly bless you!

Except for the image from Sweet n Sassy Stamps and the Copics I used to color it, all of the other papers, ribbon, flower and brad are from Close To My Heart, mostly retired.

Beauty for Ashes - MOJO Monday 231

About 15 years ago I adopted Isaiah 61:3 as a life verse. After going through a lot of difficulties, I felt my life was greatly blessed. I even made a layout of photos taken in my garden which I titled Beauty for Ashes. I made this card with that verse from Verve, hoping to pass that great truth on to someone else. I used the beautiful color combination suggested by the Color Throwdown Challenge #182 using the papers from MyMind's Eye Stella & Rose-Mabel collection.

The MOJO Monday Sketch #231 worked well with this verse and these colors.

With this special scripture, I'm linking this card to Scripture Thursday #19 at Little Birdie Blessings. I'm currently encouraging another young woman who's facing many trials. I love the part of the verse that says "a garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness." It goes along with a hymn I think of a lot "Count Your Blessings." You hear a lot of people say that you should count your blessings, but this hymn says to do this while you're going through the trial and you'll be singing and getting help and comfort.

When upon life's billows you are tempest tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

• Count your blessings, name them one by one;
  Count your blessings, see what God hath done;
  Count your blessings, name them one by one,
  And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,
And you will be singing as the days go by.

When you look at others with their lands and gold,
Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold.
Count your many blessings, money cannot buy
Your reward in heaven, nor your Lord on high.

So amid the conflict, whether great or small,
Do not be discouraged, God is over all;
Count your many blessings, angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you to your journey's end.

Source: http://www.hymnal.net/hymn.php/h/707#ixzz1oYPDRBhv

5" x 6.5" Card Recipe:
Paper - My Mind's Eye -Stella & Rose "Mabel;" Close To My Heart Colonial White CS; Bazzill CS (brown)
Stamps - Verve "Isaiah 61:3 Plain Jane," "Hope Blooms"(flowers)
Ink - Ranger Vintage Photo; Close To My Heart Cranberry (sponged around text semi-circle, flower edges)
Other - Close To My Heart Cranberry brads, Buttons Red Collection, Waxy Flax- Chocolate, Juniper ribbon

Vintage Angel Christmas Cards

On Sunday, I saw the challenge at Stampin' Sisters in Christ to make a card that had angels. This has been on my mind all week. When I saw the challenge at Little Red Wagon to make a vintage card, the two were wed, along with the beautiful color palette at Color Throwdown today.

My three angel stamps are either much too big, much too small, or lost. So I found fabulous FREE vintage angel files with a simple Google search. The one I selected for this card is from Angel-Guide in their section on Victorian angels. I knew this would work perfectly with my title and verse stamps from Close To My Heart.

My card is 6.5" x 5.25."  I must give credit to Viva La Verve for the design that I flipped horizontally from November's challenge. The background paper is a vineyard berry pattern from CTMH "Sweet Home"  (retired). The doily is from Little Yellow Bicycle. The olive patterned paper is from the Paper Studio pack "Faith." The sentiment on the strip reads: " May peace and happiness be yours . . ." inside it says, " throughout this sacred season." That comes from a CTMH stamp set called Festive Thoughts.  Under it inside I stamped a vintage looking Merry Christmas from "A Holiday."

I had looked for an angel that went with the title "Peace on Earth," which comes from a new CTMH stamp set called Glory to God. It includes this Bible verse that I stamped inside:

Glory to God in the

highest, and on earth peace,

good will toward men.

Luke 2:14

The angel in the vintage picture has the Latin for peace on earth written above her head. This is my hope for our world and my endeavor to make it happen in my own little corner of this world. Once I started on this little project I haven't wanted to stop! I have a feeling there will be more angel cards to come!