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

Seeking His Strength

I've been enjoying Ginny Maxim's blog for several years. She often shares images and word art that we can use in our own artwork. Here's a card I made with one of her images with a verse of encouragement. There are a lot of verses in scripture encouraging us to seek the Lord. Those verses assure us that when we seek Him, we will find Him. I love the verse on Ginny's image that encourages us to seek the Lord and His strength. I'm at an age when strength seems more elusive, so I'm frequently praying for strength as well as guidance and wisdom. I made this card to share the encouragement with someone else.

After printing the image, I colored it with Copics and fussy cut it. The left flowering branch is tied with a ribbon. I colored it yellow and painted it with a gold shimmer brush to match the gold dots in the pink paper.

An image like this looks best on solid cardstock or paper with no pattern, but the tiny gold dots on this paper seemed to enhance the image.
The papers are from DCWV Wildflower. The black and gold ribbon is CTMH.





I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:
Colour Crazy Challenge - anything goes with coloring
Craft-Dee BowZ - anything goes with handtied bow
Crafty Calendar Challenge -  Make it flowery
Simply Create Too #145 - anything goes
Word Art Wednesday Challenge #370 - 371 - anything goes

I like to share the promises and photo from the daily 365 Promises. Click on the link to see more on the daily devotional.

365 Promises - Promise #20: If you search for Me with all your heart, you will find Me.Jeremiah 29:13 (WEB)
You shall seek me, and find me,
when you shall search for me with all your heart.

Be Joyful in Hope

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

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

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

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

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:

Crafting with Friends Challenge #71 - anything goes

Creative Fingers Challenge #150 - anything goes

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

Simply Create Too Challenge #140 - no patterned paper

Simply Papercraft Challenge #59 - anything goes

Stamping Sensations July Challenge - In my garden

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

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

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

With Lovingkindness

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

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

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

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

I'm sharing this sketch with the following challenges:

Crafting By Designs - anything goes

Crafty Creations #370 -  Anything goes

Creative Moments Challenge #148 - anything goes

Fab 'n' Funky Challenge #402 - gingham

Feeling Sketchy Challenge 

Moo Mania and More Challenge - butterflies

Pause Dream Enjoy Challenge #28 - anything goes

Pile It On Challenge #144 - Vintage/retro

Word Art Wednesday Challenge #342-343 - anything goes

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

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

Comfort, Strength, and Courage

I keep needing cards for people I care about who are fighting cancer or other difficult battles. I used a set of sentiments about courage and strength that can apply to a lot of serious trials someone might face. What I'm wondering about this card is whether it sounds final, like they're facing death. My feeling is that it's for the health battle someone is facing, but someone else might think it sounds like I believe they're dying. What do you think?

 I stippled the white panel with Sweet Leaf ink, then stamped the parsley with Juniper. For the Retro Rubber challenge, I've had the stamp set "Good Thymes" since December 2016.) The first part of the PTI sentiment was stamped with New England Ivy. I die cut three of the word "courage" with black cardstock and adhered them together.   I used CTMH Fresh Air papers plus this sketch from Sketch-Tanten (The Sketch-Aunts):

Inside:

On the left side I used the stipple brush again with Sweet Leaf ink to help set off the white scripture die cut: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Phil. 4:13" I think it was from Word Art Wednesday a couple of years ago.

 I used scraps to enhance the inside sentiment: "When you don't have the strength, may you find the courage."

Thank you for visiting! May you, too, have courage and strength for the battles you face!

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:

A Gem of a Challenge #220 - use three of something (3 papers, 3 black enamel dots)

Crafting from the Heart challenge #209 - anything goes

Crafty Calendar June Challenge - three of something (3 papers, 3 black enamel dots)

heARTful Stamping challenge - anything goes 

Retro Rubber challenge #88 - anything goes (CTMH Good Thymes purchased 12/16)

Sketch-Tanten #44 sketch

Through the Craft Room Door - anything goes

Word Art Wednesday #336-337 - anything uplifting

"You open your hand, and satisfy the desire of every living thing." Psalm 145:16 (WEB)

365 Promises (of God) - Promise #155:  When I open My hand, I provide for all that I have created.

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

Easter - Earth's Gladdest Day!

I like that quote by Susan Coolidge that says, "Earth's saddest day and gladdest day were just three days apart." The Good Friday message of Christ's death on the cross nearly breaks my heart but the joyful message of His rising from the dead adds a new dimension to life and death. It surprised some of His followers, but gave them a new understanding of His gift of salvation.  The angel said, "He is risen as He said," so they should have all expected it. Scripture records that He was seen by over 500 people after he arose. No wonder His message spread like wildfire. Although we've been born about two thousand years later, His message still changes lives today. He conquered sin for us with His death by taking our punishment and He conquered death for us with his resurrection. Those of us who believe in and receive His gift will resurrect to a new life with Him after our deaths here on earth. This is the message I like to send with my Easter cards.

I used Cricut Design Space to cut the frame and mat for the PTI sentiment.  I stamped a diagonal background on the white panel behind it. I inked the CTMH stamp with Pixie, then dabbed on a few spots of Lagoon and Gypsy inks with sponge daubers. I also stamped the same pattern on the Juniper leafy frame using Lagoon. You can see the detail in this close-up:

Thank you for visiting! I pray your life will be blessed with the message of Easter!

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:

A Gem of a Challenge #215 - Easter
Crafting with Dragonflies Challenge #100 - Easter cards
Crafty Catz #409 - anything goes with option of Easter
Cut It Up Challenge #144 - Easter with die cut
Moving Along with the Times #67 - Easter
Sweet Stampers Challenge #18 - Spring or Easter
Sweet Stampin' Challenge - Easter
Word Art Wednesday Challenge #326-327  - anything goes with uplifting message

As long as I have breath...

A dear friend lost her husband this week several decades too soon, so I've been frequently praying for her. Another family at our church lost a sister/daughter/aunt this week.  I seem to need sympathy-type cards frequently. Here is the first. It simply started with this blue and kraft colored image from Graphic 45's Botanical Tea, which I've nearly used up. I had wanted to make it for this week's Color Throwdown challenge using light blue, kraft, and white, but of course mine also has the neutral cream color so much a part of Graphic 45. I added white glitter tape, white sequins, and white for the sentiment and card base.

I  chose two Psalms about prayer for this card from Verve's Scripture Medley Five: "Because He bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath." Psalm 116:2 and "Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you." Psalm 55:22. The truths in these verses will be needed for life's challenges to come. I'm so glad the Lord listens, cares, and is always near to help those who take their cares to Him. 

I embossed the Sky blue cardstock with the CTMH Rose embossing folder. I used a PTI border die to cut the kraft border and added the leftover inside. Some burlap twine seemed to go with all the kraft.

Thank you for visiting. May you, too, take your cares to the Lord who wants to sustain you if you'll only ask.

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:

4 Crafty Chicks #386 - with Sympathy

Aud Sentiments Challenge #195 - anything goes

Color Throwdown Challenge #476 - kraft, light blue, white

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Birds of a feather

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - add a sentiment

Word Art Wednesday 318-319 -  anything goes.

Life is Tough Encouragement Cards

Life us full of ups and downs, some small and some catastrophically huge.  Here's a set of encouragement cards I made using Prickly Pear papers. When I was almost four years my family moved to Salt Lake City, Utah. While driving there, my grandmother showed me a small cactus and told me to watch out, it had stickers that would hurt. Of course, I got stuck in less than five minutes. Just a little problem, but I thought the cactus on these papers could represent any sort of prickly problems. Since the cacti images are more whimsical than realistic, I thought the marker style sentiment fit perfectly. It's from the retired CTMH Sunshine on a Cloudy Day stamp set.

I made several of this card design and couldn't decide which encouragement verse to put inside, so I used this week's free word art scripture from Word Art Wednesday which was perfect for my intent and three different ones from the retired CTMH set, Look to the Light, some with the cactus from Prickly Pear - Cardmaking stamp set..

I'm sharing this project with the following challenges:

Dragonfly Dreams - Patterned Paper
Eclectic Ellapu September Challenge - Flora or Fauna/Nature
QKR Stampede Challenge - Wild West or anything goes
Really Reasonable Ribbon Challenge #171 - Anything goes with ribbon
Word Art Wednesday #298-299 - anything goes

Under His Wings

I'm writing this post as I watch the news about protestors fighting, a car running over protestors, a man pushing a lady in front of a bus that managed to swerve and not hit her, and medical workers in Syria killed. This world can be such a dangerous place. Scripture always encourages me, so I'm sharing this set of cards that I made this week with this encouragement:

Under his wings you will find refuge.

I think I'll be trying to use up my CTMH Paper Fundamentals for a long time. I made four of these cards using an older Whimsy pastel design in Glacier. I combined it with a gray leaf pattern from the old Lollydoodle papers. I made three of them using the Glacier and White pattern and only one with the reverse side that has the same pattern with shiny clear embossing. Here are the two side by side.

May you find comfort and help for life's problems by taking them to the Lord. He loves you and wants to shelter you like a mother bird shelters her babies. Thank you for visiting!

I'm sharing this project with the following challenges:

Cardz 4 Galz #53 - Pretty Pastels
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper August Challenge - anything with patterned paper
Moving Along with the Times #51 - Things that fly
WordArt Wednesday #294-295 - anything - a great wordart verse this week!

5.5" x 4.25" Card Recipe:
Paper - Whimsy Paper Fundamentals, Lollydoodle dp, retired White Daisy Textured Cardstock
Stamps - CTMH retired C1600 Happy Birds; sentiment: Papertrey Ink's Walk by Faith
Ink - Lagoon, Memento Tuxedo Black
Copic Markers
Embellishments - Recollections flowers, retired CTMH yellow buttons, white crochet thread, paper doily,
Tool - Cricut for stitched circle

Do Not Worry

Earlier this week I shared that one of my sorority sisters is in a nursing home being treated for cancer. We are sending her a card a day to encourage her. Here is another verse I chose along with more papers from the retired CTMH Free to Be Me paper pack. If you're not able to read the encouragement sentiment, it says, "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:34." I had opportunity to practice this verse last night when our area was plagued with severe weather. It took a lot of trust during the night to sleep and feel safe, acknowledging that God's loving care surrounded me.

This design comes from the PTI stamp set, A Cheerful Heart. It fit well on an oval die cut framed by the Spellbinders Lacey Ovales die cut. I made three versions of this card as I tried to use all the paper pieces. This first one is my favorite.

It has three shiny Florence sequins and twine from my stash. The yellow Prima butterfly sets it off. The next one has some retired CTMH flowers (stacked with a blue Petalloo flower) and butterfly. The black enamel dots are CTMH.

The inside verse for all three cards is a Hero Arts stamp set from Simon Says Stamp.

I'm sharing the first card with the following challenges:
Deep Ocean Challenge #158 - Lots of layers - I have 5 including the base on first card
Little Red Wagon Challenge #400 -  three of something (blue sequins)
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - anything goes
Southern Girls Challenge #163 - ribbon or twine
Word Art Wednesday #288-289 - anything goes

Swirly Seashell Scripture Cards

Five years ago I took four of my grandchildren (with parents and the other grandmother) on vacation to the ocean. It was so amazing to watch - and photograph - their delight with the entire experience. It was the first of four vacations which also included mountains, deserts, Yellowstone National Park, and the Grand Canyon. These were things I felt everyone should see in order to understand what an amazing world we live in. In two weeks their parents are taking them again to the same beach on Mustang Island for a repeat of what they considered to be their favorite vacation. I decided to give my daughter one of these cards with some souvenir money inside. I chose a CTMH scripture stamp from the retired set, "Look to the Light," to celebrate vacation rest from her busy schedule:

"Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28." 

Thanks for visiting! As summer vacation arrives, may you also find rest and refreshment in Him!

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:
Aud Sentiments Challenge #180 - anything goes with a sentiment
Happy Little Stampers - anything goes with dies
Heartful Stamping Challenge - die cuts + stamping
Sunsational May Challenge - Swim, Beach, Ocean
Rubber Dance Blog - Rule of Three (first card)
Through the Purple Haze #125 - anything goes

Papers - CTMH No Worries; Mermaid Coast card base from Michaels
Stamps - CTMH Swirly Sea Shells, Look to the Light
Ink - Glacier, Gypsy, Slate, and Blossom for sea shells, sponged with Whisper ink. Black sentiment and Copic markers to color second card
Tools - Swirly Sea Shells Thin cuts, Spellbinders Curved Borders Two die
Embellishments - Silver Sequins; retired Coral Reef Sequins

Words of Encouragement with One Sheet Wonder Cards

I'm often late to participate in trends or fads. I just found a need to make a lot of cards for our local store and use up lots of my paper stash. When I discovered One Sheet Wonder patterns on Pinterest, I finally joined the trend. Here are the first seven I made after a quick cut of the pieces along with die cut words and coordinating stamps.

Using the flower paper from CTMH La Vie en Rose was a good choice for the cards with three strips or three squares. I loved the way the pattern matches from strip to strip.

I had found the "prayers" set of die and sentiment stamps at Simon Says Stamp.

The rest are found at Papertrey Ink. I liked the versatility of these sets because each had a variety of beginnings and endings that can be matched with the die cut words to fit the situation of the recipient.  One additional feature of my cards is that I cut a black mat for each piece. I thought it would take a long time, but I looked at the size and added almost 1/4" on two sides for a contrasting mat. The black hearts were stamped and one black glitter paper heart was added for simple embellishment.

This week I just found that another CTMH consultant, Kathleen Androlewicz, used the same One Sheet Wonder pattern with the Dreamin' Big papers that you can see here.

Thanks for visiting! I hope this inspires you to make your own encouragement cards using One Sheet Wonder patterns!

I'm sharing this project with the following challenges:

Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper April Challenge - anything goes with patterned paper
Crafty Creations Challenge #340 - anything goes
Crafty Gals Corner Challenge #120 - anything goes
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - anything goes
Word Art Wednesday Challenge #280 - 281 - anything goes/family friendly

New Driver's Birthday Card

In May, my oldest grandson turns 15 and is able to get his learner's permit to drive in Missouri. Exciting and frightening! I made this card for him with the encouraging message that he may plan his way, but the Lord is there to direct what happens to him. When I think back to my own driving, I've been constantly reminded over the years of God's watch care when I've come close to having an accident. Those incidents always ended with a sigh of relief and a prayer of thanksgiving for His protection.

This card was inspired by the challenge at Mustard Seed Faith challenge - Traveling Mercies.  The Verve scripture verse I included from Scripture Medley 3 says,

"A man's heart plans his way but the Lord directs his steps." Proverbs 16:9

The sketch at Atlantic Hearts this week worked well with the paper I used, leftovers from a 2005 CTMH pack called Road Trip and a coordinating stamp set with the same name.

All of the materials except for the three top stars (unknown) and black and gold ribbon  are old retired CTMH products. I stamped the car with retired CTMH Star Spangled Blue ink to match the background paper and fussy cut that one and an orange matching car that I pop dotted for dimension. I chose the sticker from the same paper pack for Interstate 15 since my grandson is turning 15! The kraft corrugated star was highlighted with the gold shimmer brush.

Thank you for visiting! May God guide and protect you on your daily journey through life!

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:

Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #209
HeARTful Stamping Challenge - anything goes plus stamping
Mustard Seed Challenge #3 - Traveling Mercies
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Numbers
That's Crafty Challenge - Outnumbered
The Paper Girls Challenge #126 - Numbers
Try It On Tuesday Challenge - Transport
Word Art Wednesday #278-279 - anything goes family friendly

Kaleidoscope Easter Card

I found a new challenge last week called Mustard Seed Faith Challenges. This week the challenge is to make something for Easter. I appreciated the idea shared that Easter isn't just one day to celebrate in a year but what affects life every week, every day for those who believe in Christ's gift of salvation. For me it's a daily relationship with a living Savior who took my punishment for my sins so that I could receive that gift and have a close personal relationship and share eternal life with the Lord. Sometimes a man may have died for a friend or family, but only one who was the sinless Son of God could take our punishment when He died and better yet, rise again from the dead to show us that life is eternal.

I love this sentiment stamp from Paper Trey Ink using Matthew 28:6 that expresses that He is a living Savior. History records that over 500 people saw Him after He arose from the dead before He ascended to heaven. For me, His Spirit speaks to my heart each day and He's always near to help, comfort and guide me. So I agree with the writer at Mustard Seed Faith that Easter impacts my life every day. I hope you'll visit their blog and check out their beautiful creations.

Thank you for visiting! May you be blessed by the risen Lord!

I'm sharing this card with the following challenges:

Come and Get It Challenge - Easter
Craftaholics April Challenge - Easter
Dies R Us Challenge #70 - Easter with die cuts (Cricut and Spellbinders leaves)
Do-All Kreatives #4 - Easter
Just for Fun April Challenge - Spring/Easter
Mustard Seed Faith - Easter
Scrap from Your Heart #8 - Spring colors/Easter
Sweet Stampers Challenge #5 - Easter/Spring

6.5" x 5" Card Recipe:
Papers - Close To My Heart "Kaleidoscope" paper pack, Pixie, Sweet Leaf, White Daisy cs
Stamp - Papertrey Ink Alleluia stamp set
Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black
Embellishments - Recollections paper flowers, CTMH Purple Hearts, retired CTMH brads
Tools, Spellbinders Foliage die, Cricut Lacy Labels Cartridge on Design Space