If I could save time in a bottle...Sneak Peek!

Hello everyone! Happy Sunday! For my American friends.... Happy Memorial Day! For those who are serving in the armed forces, who have served, and those whose loved ones are serving.... I want to say thank you! We will remember... we are grateful for all your sacrifices! My own husband is a war vet, and I just want to give special honor today to all who so selflessly give their lives for their country!

With Sunday comes another Stampin Sisters in Christ challenge, and this week our hostess is the sweet and uber talented Kristine Breech! Kris has chosen Ecc. 3:14 for our Scripture:

"I know that whatever God does, it shall be forever. Nothing can be added to it, and nothing taken from it. God does it, that men should fear before Him."

Kris has given us a fabulous sketch to follow this week... and we are to follow it exactly.... nothing added, nothing taken away.

I am giving you a sneak peek at some wonderful new sets coming your way from Our Daily Bread designs beginning on June 1! The clock image is from a set called Time, and it has several fabulous sentiments and Scriptures in it. The sentiment I used today is from a new Blessings series, and this is called Save Time. Many of you will remember these words to the Jim Crose song that many of us romantically listened to thinking of the love of our lives back in the early 1970s! What you may not remember is that this song was written for Jim's then unborn son, and became a number one hit just a few weeks after Jim was killed in a plane crash. I don't know what Jim's spiritual state was, but certainly his death drives home an uncanny fact... THIS life is NOT eternal! I have personally lost most of my family, even a sibling, and many dear friends. There is nothing like the death of one we love to make us think more seriously about eternity!

As I ponder the words of this song... the desire to "save every day until eternity passes away just to spend them with you", while it sounds wonderful and romantic from a human perspective... from God's perspective, it's even more wonderful to realize that eternity will NEVER pass away! Returning to this week's verse... "everything God does is forever." God IS eternal! It is one of His many attributes. Another of His attributes is His Holiness. God can't just pretend that sin doesn't exist... so He provided the way for us to be made righteous in His eyes, so that we can spend eternity with Him, and with all those who have come to know Him as their Savior and Lord. We're told in Romans 3:22 that God gives us the gift of righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ (and the work He did on the cross). It is a free gift (Romans 3:24) but it is only ours if we accept it! When we do receive this gift, our sins are forgiven and we are clothed in the righteousness of Christ! Our eternity is secured!

Eternity will NEVER pass away... it IS for eternity! When I think of this song, as well as this Scripture, ... I am filled with joy because I am so blessed to know that ALL of my immediate family and most of my extended family and friends have accepted this gift of Jesus' righteousness in this life time, and thus I KNOW that I WILL spend eternity with them all, along with the One who gave His life for me! I don't need to save time in a bottle, because Jesus has already provided our heavenly eternity for us! I hope I'll also be spending it with You too!

Our sponsor this week is Sweet 'N Sassy!
We want to thank Korin for her generosity!
The winner will be able to choose THREE free digis!

For complete details on the challenge and our sponsor, and Kris' wonderful devotional, please see the SSIC Blog.

For more inspiration on today's challenge, please visit my DT Sisters:
Chris, Linda, Peggysue, Miesje, Rebecca, Lisa , Kris, Sabrina, & MariLynn
Randi (on leave)

I am entering this in the following challenges:
Aud Sentiments Challenge - A sentiment/card for a male, Charisma Cardz - Card for a male, Craft Us Crazy - Remembrance and/or love, Digi Doodle Shop's Best- Anything goes, Little Miss Muffet Challenges - Metal embellishments, Pals Paper Arts - Brads (in the center of my sprocket), Paper Romance - Distressing, Amber's Crafts and Stuff - Vintage, Crafting for all Seasons - Anything goes, Truly Scrumptious - #57 Anything Goes, Creative Card Crew - Anything Goes, Top Tip Tuesday - Use 2 or More Stamps, 2 Sisters - #41 Anything Goes, Craft Your Days Away - #21 Fathers Day/Special Man, Totally Gorjuss - #82 String or Twine

Thanks so much for visiting today! Have a blessed week!

The Craft's Meow Card set

Hello everyone! I have a set of cards I made with the recently released Simply Delightful set, designed by Nina Brackett for The Craft's Meow! This set was so easy and fast I couldn't believe it! I know those of you who know my usual style are thinking.... CAS??? Grace??? LOL! Well, I have been working on trying to expand my style to include some CAS as they certainly are quicker to make, easier to mail, and lots of people actually prefer them.... so I needed to learn! :) All these cards are made on Gina K Pure Luxury white heavy card stock bases, and use similar patterns in different colors from a Me & My Big Idea paper pack called Posh. The inks that match perfectly are Su! Ruby Red, Old Olive and Only Orange. I stamped each design, then stamped the sentiments in black, then cut out by hand, and mounted on these gorgeous doilies from Cherry Lynn designs using pop dots. I added SU! white satin bows and that was it!

I love these new stamps! They lend themselves to simple stamping! For those of you who don't like to color, or who don't have time.... these are perfect! Hope you enjoyed my project and why not hop on over the The Craft's Meow to see all the goodies Lisa has for you!

I am entering this set in the following challenes:
Craft Us Crazy - Remembrance and/or love, Digi Doodle Shop's Best - Anything goes, Paper Shelter Challenge - #15 anything goes, Truly Scrumptious - #57 Anything Goes , Creative Card Crew - Anything Goes, Sweet Stamps - Medallions, Top Tip Tuesday - Use 2 or More Stamps,

Thanks for stopping and happy Memorial Day weekend to all my American friends!
hugs,

Layers Of Color Gift Set

Hello everyone! Today I'm happy to share a Layers of Color gift set I made! I used the Victorian Frame Cling art stamp to create my frame for my card and a matching handle for my little purse gift card/ gift holder. The image itself is colored with Copics and cut out right along the outside of the stamped line. I have matted it on the card with Soft Suede card stock cut with Spellbinder's Label Fourteen, which the stamp was custom designed for. My basic card stock is Papertrey Aqua Mist, run through the Cuttlebug with the Cassie's Brocade folder, then sponged with TH Distress Ink.

To make the purse I cut and colored two of the Victorian Frames and cut them out, folded them in half with finished sides out and adhered together. This way both the front and back of each handle is finished off. I cut two Spellbinders Label twelve, ran through the Bug with Cassies Brocade and embossed the same as the card. I cut a strip of aqua card stock 1.5" wide by 7 3/8" long, scoring along the long edge at 1/2" and 1". Across the short side I scored at 2 1/4" in from each end, snipped in to the long score line and folded. I adhered the folded edges to the front and back of my labels twelve with tacky tape. I cut a Spellbinders Label Label Ten and cut 1.5" off from the longest point on both ends, embossed and sponged. I adhered my handles to the outside of my purse with just enough overlap to hold, then adhered the 1.5" cuts of the label ten to serve as a flap on the purse front and back, and that covers the edges of the handles. I added a Prima embellishment and Papertrey Aqua Mist ribbon.

The card is very straight forward, using the same materials listed above. The sentiment is from a Verve set "Feeling Groovy". I cut off the frame with a straight edge just for interest. I spritzed everything with Glimmer Mist in gold when finished.

I hope you enjoyed this little project and that you might try one yourself! It was a lot of fun coming up with my own design that I thought was a unique way to use the victorian frame. If you make one please link me and let me know so I can come see yours!!!

I am entering this in the following challenges:
Creative Stamp Friends - 2W - 2nd week - My favourite colours, DDH Challenges - Anything but a card (the bag), Happileigh Scrappin - SIO - cards with more than one fold or a box type project, Kaboodle Doodles - Distress, rip, tear, crumple, Make it Monday - Always anything goes, Scrapbookaholic - Gift bag or box,Emerald Faeries - M, 3E - Anything Goes, I Did It Creations - Anything Goes, Patties Creations - 2W, 2E, SIO, must include a stamped image - Anything but a card, Polkadoodle - Anything but a card, Totally Papercrafts - Don't be square

Thanks for stopping and leaving a comment! I love knowing you were here!

I'm Pulling for You!

Happy Sunday everyone! I am the hostess for this week's challenge, and I chose Proverbs 10:20-21 for this week's Scripture.

"The tongue of the righteous is as choice silver,
the heart of the wicked is worth little.
The lips of the righteous feed many,
but fools die for lack of understanding."

My challenge is to:
Create a card or project that encourages and use a touch of silver

Have you ever known someone who struggles in the area of “holding their tongue”? Well, I have, and it was a woman I loved very much, but she was a critical perfectionist who just felt compelled to verbalize her disappointment about just about everything. I saw the pain it caused her family relationships, the poor self esteem it caused her son, and even the unhappiness it left in her after she had vented every word! I vowed that I did NOT want to carry on that “tradition”!

Have you ever REALLY thought about the power God has given us through our words? Prov. 18:21 says “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit”.

It is truly amazing to think how powerful our words are! God put that power in us for a reason. Although we often misuse it, allowing our words to be a source of great pain to those around us, God wants us to use our words to encourage, enlighten and bring healing others! Prov. 12:18 “Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.”

What are some ways we can use our tongue to encourage and bring healing? There are so many ways. Is. 50:4 says “The Lord has given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary”. Our life experiences and the wisdom we’ve gained are not to be kept locked up for only our own use, but are to be shared with others going through difficult times. Simply sharing the truth of the Gospel is another way, for we know that true healing can only come through Jesus’ shed blood! Paul says in Rom 10:14 “How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?” Certainly sharing God’s Word is one of the greatest ways we can use our words wisely! Paul admonishes older women to encourage and teach younger women in how they should be faithful to God in their family life. Sometimes simply coming alongside someone who is struggling and instead of criticizing, just offering words of positive encouragement or advice is what is needed. Sometimes, just letting someone know you are there for them, praying for them, willing to listen and comfort them is the best way to be an encourager.

With the thought of just how powerful our words can be, let’s ask God to show us ways to be an encourager!

My card info:

Today I have a fun card I made with an image from our sponsor, My Favorite Things. Isn't she cute? The set is from the Pure Innocence Line and is called A Cart Full of Friends! I stamped her with Memento and colored with Copics. I hand drew the hills and clouds on printer paper, then cut out my designer paper according to my pattern. My base is Bazzill, the dp is BasicGrey Hello Luscious and Urban Prairie. I sewed around the various elements hoping to give the illusion of fabric like when I used to quilt. I faux stitched the clouds. For the touch of silver in my challenge, I used a VersaMark pen to color in the hub caps of the wagon and then heat embossed with silver. I used Martha Stewart fringe scissors to fringe scraps of two different shades of green cs and then I curled various parts down by curling around my piercing tool. The sentiment is punched with SU! punches.

Our Sponsor is My Favorite Things and the prize is a $25.00 Gift Certificate!!!:
We thank them for their generosity! Wish I could play!! :)

For complete details on the challenge and our sponsor, and the full devotional, please see the SSIC Blog.

For more inspiration on today's challenge, please visit my DT Sisters:
Chris, Linda, Peggysue, Miesje, Rebecca, Lisa , Kris, Sabrina, & MariLynn
Randi (on leave)

I am entering this in the following challenges:
Crafty Sentiments - Children's cards, Shelly's Images -Anything goes, Some Odd Girl Make a scene, Stampin' B's -Make a Spring scene card, Do You Stack Up? -Celery, white, sea glass, Crafts and Me - #35 Anything goes, Optional Kraft, Creative Belli - 2W - 2nd W - #117 Anything starting with S (sentiment), Creative Card Crew - Cute & Girly, Divas by Design - #2 For the Girls , House That Stamps Built - Paper Piecing (my whole scene is paper pieced), Penny's Paper-Crafty - #53 Anything Goes, Stampavie and More - #142 Summer, Stars and Stamps Midweek Throwdown - no glitter - Summer Fun, Truly Scrumptious - #57 Anything Goes, Clear It Out! - Projects using Colouring Mediums (Copics), Flourishes - #118 Inspired by Spring,Top Tip Tuesday - #34 Any Project For A Child, Simply Scrapping Crafts - COLOUR, Craft Your Passion - Cutie Patooties, Happileigh Scrappin - Stitching, Make it Monday - Always anything goes, BasicGrey - #44 Use a Mix of BG products, n

Thanks so much for visiting!!! Have a blessed day!

The Craft's Meow... Just for You

Hello everyone! I'm excited to be Guest Designing for my dear friend and SSIC sister, Lisa Hjulberg, who has recently opened a new on line store, and it is so fun! It's called the Craft's Meow and she carries wonderful stamps, many of which are exclusive to her store, as well as fantastic kits! You have simply GOT to check out the line up of talent she has working for her as well! Today I'm sharing a set designed by the talented Nina Brackett called Simply Delightful. There are lots of great images and sentiments in the set but I decided to focus on this one image which I stamped three times. First I stamped on the Webster's Pages dp first in VersaMark, then Old Olive, and clear embossed. Then I stamped on a scrap of white cs with VersaMark and then Groovy Guava, and again clear embossed. Thirdly I stamped in VersaMark and then Black and clear embossed that. I was trying to mimic the pattern in my Websters Pages (Lullaby Lane/Life's Portrait pack) dp. I cut out the guava and black deisgn and popped each layer up on the green base. I also stamped the sentiment with Black in the lower right corner. I matted with basic black, and used two Spellbinder's Fancy Tags Two which I then cut in half and mounted to the back of the corners of my image panel. I popped that layer up on the patterned paper and added a May Arts Silk bow and one single pearl. I think the picture below shows the embossing a little better.

I love this set and see myself using it often! I hope you enjoyed my project and will stop back as I have another set of cards made with this set to share with you soon!

I am entering this in the following challenges:
Crafts and Me - #35 Anything goes, Optional Kraft, Creative Belli - #117 Anything starting with S (silk ribbon), Penny's Paper-Crafty -#53 Anything Goes, Jac-Inks Papercraft Challenges - Heat Embossing, Ladybug Crafts Ink TLT Challenge -Use Orange Somewhere in Project, Midnight Madness - SKETCH, Karens Doodles -Bold & bright, Make it Monday - Always anything goes, There's Magic in the Air -Embossing (dry or heat), Emerald Faerie Garden - Anything goes, Scrappy Frogs - Anything goes,

Blessings!

Stop and Consider

Hello everyone! Tonight I'm sharing a card I made with this month's release from Our Daily Bread designs. This was actually the first card I made with this set, which is called Porch and is really fun to color! The porch scene and the vintage border at the top are both part of this set, and I also used the matching vintage border die. The base is GinaK, the dp is K&Co Julianne, the die cuts are Spellbinders Lattic Rectangles and Ribbon Tags. I used Ranger White embossing powder to heat emboss on the Craft. I colored the image with Copics and added an MS edge punch, MS Butterfly Punch and stitched the layers on my sewing machine. The pearls are Recollections.


I am entering this in the following challenges:
Happileigh Scrappin - Stitching, Make it Monday - Always anything goes, There's Magic in the Air - Embossing (dry or heat),By the Cute & Girly - craft type, posted on the 1st - Anything Goes, Desert Island Crafters - choose 3 or more from the list (patterned paper, pearls, ribbon ++), Creative Cowgirls - - Anything Goes, Emerald Faeries - Anything Goes, Kenny K Krafty Girlz - Die cuts and punches, One Stitch At A Time - Anything Goes, Sparkles Forum - Recipe: 2 papers, 1 ribbon or bow, 2 embellishments (2 dps, 1 ribbon, butterflies and pearls), Card Creations & More By C - Must Use Embossing, Crafts and Me - #34 Punches, Crafty Creations - #118 Anything Goes, Creative Belli - 2W - #117 Anything starting with S (stitching), Little Red Wagon - #80 Houses (front of a house?), My Mum's Craft shop - #5 Use Dies, Penny's Paper-Crafty - #53 Anything Goes, Stars and Stamps Midweek Throwdown - no glitter - Things With Wings, Sew Many Cards - Anything goes,

Thanks so much for looking and taking the time to comment! It really means a lot to me!

Tea Time with SSIC!

HELLO EVERYONE! IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR THE CRAFT'S MEOW BLOG HOP PLEASE SCROLL DOWN ONE POST!

It's time for another Stampin Sisters in Christ challenge, and today my dear friend and DT sister Chris Olsen is our hostess! Chris has chosen Psalm 121:2-4 for this week's Scripture.

"My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip. He who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep."

Chris is challenging us to create a card or project with a tea or coffee cup or pot-this can be the designer paper, the image, or embellishment

Aren't you thankful that His eye is always on us.... He ever searches the vast universe and nothing escapes His knowledge! I find it comforting that God doesn't need caffeine to stay awake! He is all knowing and nothing is hidden from Him. Sometimes we may wish He couldn't see something we've done... but really it's a comfort to me to know He knows and understands all things! I can fall on my face before Him even if I have failed greatly, and know that in His vast knowledge, love and mercy, He will take care of me and all those who call upon His name!

I'm so excited and honored to be guest designing for Sweet 'N Sassy this month! Today I am sharing a little gift set using the newly released Tea Time set. I was inspired by my Grandmother's gorgeous English China, decorated in gold with dainty pink flowers. I started with a base of Regal Rose card stock for my card. I embossed all my images from the Tea Time set with Ranger fine detail gold embossing powder, onto Crafty Secrets designer paper from the Radiant Pad, and cut them out to paper piece them. For the card I cut my doily using a Marianne die, and I cut the Spellbinders Doily Motifs from Recollections brushed gold card stock and embossed. I added a few little Prima roses and a sheer ribbon to embellish.

The template for the Tea Box came from Lauren Meader's My Time Made Easy. It's a fun presentation for a gift of tea for any tea lover! I created the box with Regal Rose card stock and used Crafty Secrets Radiant Pad for the designer paper. I used Regal Rose Grosgrain ribbon, layering it over two Martha Stewart punched edges. I added an element from the Spellbinders Doily Motifs which I cut from the dp, then I punched my sentiment with a circle punch, sponged with Regal Rose and adhered to the doily motif. One single ZVA Creative rose finished off the sentiment. On the top of the box is a doily motif in Regal Rose and another paper pieced, gold embossed tea pot.

Our sponsor this week is The Craft's Meow!
The prize is one stamp set designed by the talented Nina Brackett!
Oh and if you want another chance to win The full release going on right now... hop on the Blog Hop for the release one post down right here on my blog,
or start at the Craft's Meow Blog today!

For complete details on the challenge and our sponsor,
and the full devotional, please see the SSIC Blog.

For more inspiration on today's challenge, please visit my DT Sisters:
Chris, Linda, Peggysue, Miesje, Rebecca, Lisa , Kris, Sabrina, & MariLynn
Randi (on leave)

I am entering this in the following challenges:

Crafts and Me - Punches, Crafty Creations - Anything Goes, Creative Card Crew - May Flowers, House That Stamps Built - Paper Piecing cups & teapot), My Mum's Craft shop Use Dies, Penny's Paper-Crafty - Anything Goes, Stampavie and More - Ribbons, Your Next Stamp Challenge - Pop it Up, Fabulous Friday - Use ribbon or twine, Fairy Fun Fridays - For the girls, Inspire Me Fridays - Always anything goes, Mami Doodles - Spots and/or stripes (striped dp), Phindy’s Place - Use 1 image on at least 2 different projects, Phindy’s Place -Use 1 image on at least 2 different projects, Stamp Something - Anything goes, Craft Us Crazy - Use your favourite embellishments and/or something new, Delightful Challenges - Flowers,

Do You Stack Up? – Add a tag, The Rubber Cafe - Tags,

I hope you enjoyed my little gift set! Thanks so much for visiting! I love hearing from you!!!


hugs,

Craft's Meow Release Blog Hop

Welcome to the Craft's Meow Mid-Month Release Blog Hop! I am the first stop on the hop, so if you got here from The Craft's Meow Blog, you are on the right track! If you just happened on my blog be sure to start there to see all the details for the hop and the prizes! You also don't want to miss the announcement of the winners from the past two days of previews!!! Yes there are lots of prizes.... so be sure to check it out!!!

We have been sharing previews of two brand new exclusive designs of Little Frieda over the past two days, and today's the day you can finally own these cutie pies! Also released today are three new wonderful kits (two designed by Jessica Fick) and one by Alice Wertz) with exclusive Crafts Meow Stamps by Nina B designs, with perfectly coordinated designer papers and embellishments to make creating that much quicker and easier! You will LOVE these kits... but don't delay! They are limited edition and will no doubt go quickly!

My card today is made using "My Girl". Isn't Little Frieda adorable with sweet lulu? I have stamped my image with Memento Ink and colored with Copics. My designer paper is Prima Sweet Fairy, and the dyed seam binding is from Really Reasonable Ribbon. The doily die is Cheery Lynn designs. My card base is atd designs.

Be sure to leave a comment on each designer's blog for a chance to win one of the many fabby prizes being given away!!! You will have until Tuesday, May 17 at 10:00pm Pacific to complete the hop and leave your comments and be entered in the drawing!

Before you go, I want to just let you know that The Craft's Meow is sponsoring two fabulous challenges this week! Lily Pad Cards challenge (which is to use embossing (wet and/or dry) on your card/project) and Card Patterns Sketch Challenge!!! Be sure to play for yet another chance to win a fabulous prize of both new Little Frieda stamps!!!


Now I'll send you on your way... From here, hop on over to the ever so talented and sweet Nina Brackett for some TOTALLY AWESOME inspiration!