Loving Silhouette

I'm taking advantage of my hubby being gone today to make a card for him celebrating our love. This card is for the Heart 2 Heart challenge to illustrate "The Important Thing." I believe the most important thing is LOVE, both the kind we feel and show to our family and friends and the kind we show to those we don't know. It's so important that it's the greatest commandment in scripture to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind and to love others as we love ourselves.  It's a subject I could expound on for days! Most of the problems of the world exist because of a lack of love.

Here's a mood board from Crafts Dreamy that I found with a perfect mix of colors, text, and a heart, just right for his card:

I used the challenge at Crafting By Designs and added a circular frame. I put a smaller circle die inside the next larger one to make the frame. For the challenge at Moving Along with the times, I chose a Cricut die cut that had a heart balloon. 

The striped diagonal that looks like it has black stripes is actually a silver foil sticker with no black, but I did add charcoal, white, and gray enamel dots to match the other elements.

Thanks for visiting! I hope you'll share love in new ways to  those around you!

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:

Crafting By Designs - Corners, borders, frames

Crafts Dreamy Challenge #2 - anything, using the mood board

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

Heart 2 Heart Challenge - The important thing

Moving Along with the Times - Have a Heart

365 Promises - Promise #2: I am full of mercy and grace and I overflow with love. Psalm 103:8 (WEB)

Yahweh is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness.

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.

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.

Tropical Paradise Layout

After making three layouts using the CTMH Postcard Perfect papers, I still had enough for two more.  I also had more of my son's vacation photos taken in Florida and on the way to The Grand Bahamas. I made one using the June Stick It Down two page layout and Cricut-cut title and  embellishments.

I'm sharing this layout with the following challenges:

Bimini Moose Scrapbook June Challenge - layouts/optional - summer
Bitten by the Bug 2 - Tropical Vacation or Flowers
Cut It Up Challenge #150 - anything but a card - with die cuts
Stick It Down June challenge - double page layout

Jeremiah 49:11 (WEB)Leave your fatherless children, I will preserve them alive; 
and let your widows trust in me. 

365 Promises of God - Promise #174:
I will protect the fatherless, and widows can trust in Me.

Rustic Christmas Joy

When I saw the sketch from Atlantic Hearts this week I envisioned a rustic, masculine Christmas card using the Fresh Air papers.

I cut a tag and vellum snowflake on the Cricut. I used the center cut-outs of several snowflakes as small ones in the corner. The gold glitter "JOY" was from CTMH letter dies.

I used woodgrain design papers and green and brown colors hoping to make this card masculine. I liked the birchwood panel which had an arrow already printed on it. It was one of the 4" x 6" pocket cards in the paper pack that I cut down to 4" x 5.25."  The tag was also one of the pocket cards with  a pattern of small evergreen trees. I leaned something important making this card: don't try to cut out vellum shapes on a new cricut mat!  I'm hoping this card will bring Christmas Joy to someone in December!

Thank you for visiting! May God fill your heart with  joy and blessings as you create cards for others!

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:

Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #269 - sketch

Aud Sentiments Challenge #206 - anything goes with a sentiment

Christmas at Sweet Stampin' June Challenge - anything goes

Crimbo Crackers #161 - anything goes

Ellibelle's Crafty Wednesday June Challenge - Make it masculine

Happy Little Stampers June Christmas Challenge - anything goes with option: JOY

Moo-Mania & More Challenge #168 - arrows

Pile It On #143 - any holiday

The Merry Christmas Challenge #25 - anything Christmas goes

Matthew 5:9 (WEB)

Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they shall be called children of God.

365 Promises of God - Promise #173: I will bless the peacemakers and call them My children.

Grand Canyon Adventure Layout

Last month my hubby left on a photo and graduation trip to the picturesque Southwest. Lizzy was graduating from Grand Canyon University with her doctorate in psychology. I was there in spirit. (Long auto trips and camping are too hard on my now.) We've taken decades of wonderful trips rich with memories for me. Now I get the pleasure of scrapbooking his photos. This layout is about hubby's camping in the Grand Canyon so he can get to the rim before sunrise for the best photos. He posted some of his favorites with technical details on his blog, Light through my Lens. Each time I've stood at the rim looking across layers and layers of canyons it was like standing in a great cathedral in nature and worshiping the amazing Creator of such wonders!

I was inspired to use the double page sketch from Stick It Down.

Here are close-ups.

In order to know what size I should cut my Cricut embellishments, I tried something new. I set up two 12 x 12 pages in Cricut Design Space and added photo sizes and pieces to be cut. I wondered why I hadn't tried this before?  This is what that planning file looked like:

When it was time to cut, I hid all of the rectangle/square pieces which didn't need to be cut with the Cricut. Feel free to use my cut file if it would help you.  I used papers from an old set of Fundamentals which had a shiny clear embossed pattern on one side. I thought the shine reminded me of sunrise. The green is from the Fresh Air paper pack. The mountains were cut from Nutmeg and Kraft cardstock. They were images from You Are Here, Flower Market, Artistry, and Camp Out cartridges. The other embellishments are my leftovers from the Fresh Air Complements in the workshop kit and an extra set of the wood Fresh Air Shapes. I also added some New England Ivy Burlap Ribbon under the mountains. The copperfoil trees, star and word banners are showing up as almost black, but here's a close-up showing all the textures:

Thanks for visiting! May you be blessed with sweet memories of your own adventures!

I'm sharing this layout with the following challenges:
Card Mania Challenge #104 - anything but a card
Heart 2 Heart Challenge - Scrapbooking

Lasting Memories Layout Challenge- photo layout with one or more hexagons
Not Just Cards - anything goes
Pause Dream Enjoy - Scrapbook layouts
Stick It Down - May Double Page Sketch

Psalm 30:5 (WEB)
For his anger is but for a moment. His favor is for a lifetime.
Weeping may stay for the night, but joy comes in the morning.

365 Promises - Promise #144: My displeasure may last for a moment, but My favor is yours for life.

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.

Atlantic Hearts Sketch With Deepest Sympathy

This morning I read the daily encouragement at 365 Promises.

That promise sounds like something I'd love to share with two of my friends who recently lost loved ones.Weeping comes for a time, but there will be joy again. I never have enough sympathy cards so when I also saw the challenge at A Gem of a Challenge to make Get Well or Sympathy, I knew what I needed to make. I want to always let those I know who've lost loved ones that they are in my prayers.

I used this sketch from Atlantic Hearts Sketch turned on it's side:

 

I wanted my card to be simple with a light colored background and decided to choose the subtle glacier-colored flower outlines to be cut using Cricut Artfully Sent. I sized my image for this 5" x 6.5" card and you are welcome to use my cut file here.  I put a charcoal mat under the cut layer and a rectangular vellum mat as the 2nd mat. A piece of gold glitter cardstock lined the cut flower and the gray ribbons includes the middle one with a stripe of gold. 

I kept the inside simple with three stamps from Our Daily Bread Designs. I cut off the top card base part of my Cricut cut and used part of that rectangle to decorate the sides inside.

Thank you for visiting! May you find the joy that drives away sorrow! I find my joy in Jesus Christ!

365 Promises- Promise #119: My everlasting joy and gladness will drive all sorrow and mourning away.

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:

4 Crafty Chicks #400 - anything goes with optional Less is More (CAS)

613 Avenue Create #208 - Anything goes with optional twist - add vellum

A Gem of a Challenge #218 - Get Well or Sympathy

Atlantic Hearts Sketch #261 - sketch above
Word Art Wednesday #332-333 - Anything uplifting

Tic Tac Toe Challenge #45 -  top row across and middle row down

5" x 6.5" Card Recipe:
CTMH Paper - Chelsea Gardens (stripe), retired Happy Times (floral outlines), Charcoal CS, Vellum, Gold Glitter Paper
Stamp - ODBD With Heartfelt Sympathy
Ink - Black
Embellishments - CTMH Light Gray Ribbon and Basics Ribbon Pack (gray with gold stripe)
Tools - Cricut Design Space and retired CTMH Artfully Sent cartridge

Be Your Own Kind of Rock Star

While I was playing with some Stargazer papers I thought about a friend's son who is a music major working on his master's degree in music education. His wife was working at a really difficult, overwhelming job. I'd been praying for her.

I love to see how God works out the details of the answers to prayer. An opportunity came up in a rural town for the husband to teach music now, in the middle of the school year,  and the wife to teach an elementary grade she was prepared for next year. In the meantime, she could be a classroom aid, giving her some much needed relief from stress. Her hubby was going to be able to finish his courses online! God opened unexpected new doors at just the right time! What a blessing for them both!

This is the card I made for them using new Stargazer papers, black glitter paper, silver sequins with red glitter glue, and some old stamps along with a few Cricut cuts from the Quarter Note cartridge:

The stamp sets on the front come from retired CTMH Rock Star and Dakota workshop. The inside scripture is from ODBD God Verses 2:  "I will praise God's name in song and glorify Him with Thanksgiving. Psalm 69:30"

Thank you for visiting! May you be blessed by the Lord and be amazed as you see the way He answers your prayers!

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:

Inspire Create Challenge #15 - masculine
Moo Mania and More - Masculine
Simply Create Too #137 - use Die Cuts
Word Art Wednesday #328-329 - anything uplifting

Sunny Thoughts Card

Today was such a dark, cloudy day I made my own sunshine crafting. My photos weren't the greatest. But despite the dreariness, I'm hoping this card will brighten someone's day.  I got the idea from the Heart 2 Heart Challenge.

You can barely see the gold glittery look below on the sun's rays from the shimmer brush. I still had three wooden flying birds, long retired, so used those for embellishments. The checked

I used the CTMH Gimme Sum Sugar paper, Peacock Stitched ribbon,  and the Sunny Thoughts Stamp of the Month. Today is the last day for this Stamp of the Month:

Thank you for visiting! May your cloudy days be filled with sunny thoughts!

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:

Heart 2 Heart Challenge - Sunny Days
Papercraft Challenge #6 - ribbon
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - anything goes
Word Art Wednesday #324-325 - anything goes

Color My Heart Dare Using the Make Waves Tic Tac Toe Board

Here are three cards I made using the CTMH Make Waves-Cardmaking stamp set with its accompanying Thin Cuts Die and Cricut Design Space.

I'm sharing this first card with the Color My Heart Color Dare Challenge. All of the sentiments were white embossed on Pansy cardstock.

I used the top row across to make some fun cards, adding Pansy as an extra color. (I'm sure the Make Waves Shimmer Trim is Lagoon!)  Since the heart cut is Emerald waves design, I cut the background for both cards using Cricut Artbooking on Cricut Design Space to look like waves, too. I unlocked the size and altered it to fit 5.25" x 4."  You can use my file if you have that cartridge. The embellishments are Make Waves Sequins and Gems.

I have one more card using the waves cut background and the Make Waves -Cardmaking stamp set. Thist one still uses the same colors with the addition of a Sorbet crab and some retired Sea Glass cardstock behind the waves, a color not on the board.

Thanks for visiting!

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

Cards in Envy - Give it some heart
City Crafter Challenge #401 - die cuts
Color My Heart Color Dare #281 - Tic Tac Toe Board
Unicorn Challenge #29 - love/valentines