Sneak Peek!

Hello everyone!  I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and are looking ahead to the blessings of 2012! 

Today I have a sneak peek for you!  This set is called Birthday Blessings, from Our Daily Bread designs,  and will be released Jan. 1.  I just LOVE it!!!  I made this to fit the sketch at Craft Your Passion, so I didn't add a sentiment, but believe me, this set will be used a lot because I love the sentiments in it!  It will be a go to birthday set for me! 

The base is SU! Blushing Bride, and the dp is MME Blushed and Portobello Rd.  I stamped with Memento on X-press it card, then colored with Copics. I used Cheery Lynn French Pastry Doily and Anastasia Border, Spellbinders classic squares and Lacey squares, ZVA Creative silk rose, and Stickles and bling from my stash.

I am entering this in the following challenges:
Bearly Mine - #26 Anything Goes Week, Partytime Tuesdays -#48 Anything Goes, Top Tip Tuesday - #66 Anything Goes, Ladybug Crafts Ink TLT Challenge - #50 Bingo (center down: ribbon, flowers, die cuts), Make it Monday - always Anything Goes, Creative Inspirations Paint - Anything Goes, Sparkles Forum - Anything BUT a Christmas Card, Marks Finest Papers - Anything goes, Our Daily Bread Designs - Anything goes using Our Daily Bread Stamps, Secret Crafter - #166 Anthing goes, Sweet Stampin - 2E, must Stamp - Sparkle and Bling

Merry Christmas!

Hello friends!  It's time for another Stampin Sisters in Christ Challenge.... and it's the last one for the year! Our hostess this week is the talented and sweet Miesje. She has chosen the following Scripture:

"Glory to God in the highest, and on Earth peace, good will toward men" 

(Luke 2:14)

Her challenge is:

A Christmas card or project that is Christian, image and/or sentiment must have the TRUE meaning of Christmas.

I used some of my favorite Our Daily Bread designs sets to create this simple card.  The image is from Blessed Christmas, along with it's custom die that does all that fussy cutting in a snap!  The verse is from Christmas Blessings. I cut the verse with a Spellbinders Label 14.  I stamped with Archival Sepia, and matted with brushed copper.  I added copper seam binding and some little pearls.  I needed this to be quick as I was running last minute ... and the custom die did the trick for me! 

At the very heart of the Christmas story is a miracle.  The miracle is the birth of a baby, not conceived through a physical union, but by the Holy Spirit.  This baby was the very Son of God, who stepped down into space and time from His lofty position in the heavens.... to eventually die for the sins of the world.  God became flesh and dwelt among us!  Why would He do that?  Because He loved us!  Plain and simple!  He knew that there was no other way for us as sinners to be reconciled to a Holy God, so He paid the price for our sins.... and the culmination of the Christmas message is in the Easter message! Yes... He gave His life... suffered.... bled.... died.... was buried.... but praise be to God... He did not stay in that grave!  He arose, victorious over death and with that miracle came the promise of eternal life to all who would believe in Him as their Savior!  He asks nothing in return!  It's His free gift to us! He simply asks us to receive Him as our Savior! We try to complicate it... we try to make it something we can earn or work for, but the fact is we never could earn it!  ONLY He could pay that price, because He was without sin!  So this Christmas... I hope you will take the time to thank Him for this indescribable gift He gave so many years ago!  He loves you and wants to have a relationship with you!  Will you have room for Him in your heart?  Here is a video I think will bless your heart as you celebrate the true meaning of Christmas this year.... be blessed:

Our Sponsor this week is Our Daily Bread designs!  

The prize is a $15.00 Gift Card to the ODBD Store!

Thank you ODBD for your continued support!!!

 While I'm talking about Our Daily Bread designs... they are having a BIG SALE!  Many sets are 30% off and they are giving "Daily Dough Dollars"!  Customers can  order daily and for every $50 you spend you will receive a coupon code for  $10 in Daily Dough Dollars, redeemable from January 1 - March 15.  The sale runs through December 25th!

Please see the Stampin Sisters in Christ Blog for the devotional and the details of the challenge.  Be sure to drop by my DT sisters to see what they created for you as well!

Chris, Linda, Kris, Lisa, MariLynn, Miesje, Peggysue, Rebekah, Traci

I am entering this in the following challenges:

Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - Anything goes for Christmas

Marks Finest Papers - Make a Christmas card

One Stop Craft - Christmas Sparkle

Card Crafters Circle – Celebration

Card Makin' Mamas - Christmas

Glitter Geeks - Anything Goes

Raise The Bar – Christmas

Stampin For The Weekend - Christmas

Artistic Stampers - Christmas

Bling It On - Christmas

 Christmas Cards All Year Round - Anything Goes

Freshly Brewed Monthly Challenge - Christmas

Heidi's Hobbystuggu - Christmas

Scrappin Chic Challenge - Anything Goes as long as it's Christmas themed

I wish you all a most blessed Christmas!!!

Daisies for a dreary winter day!

Hello everyone!
Today's Free4 All on SCS was to use flowers!  How fun, especially since Our Daily Bread designs just came out with this awesome Daisy/ Black Eyed Susan set this month! 

I stamped the Daisy/ Black Eyed Susan image twice so I could cut out and pop up the center flower.. The base is Gina K, the dp is Recollections (green) and Lasting Impressions (yellow). I used a SB Lace Doily Motif and Sizzix and CB EFs.  The pearls are Hero Arts, and the ribbon was from my stash.

 I hope you all are enjoying this blessed time of year.... celebrating with family and friends, enjoying the wonderful music of the season, the sights and sounds we all hold so dear.... but most of all, I hope you are taking time to reflect on that priceless gift that was given to us 2000+ years ago, and are finding the JOY and PEACE that comes as a result of receiving that gift!!!
hugs,

 

Pleasant Words.... sweet to the soul!

Hello friends!  I hope you are enjoying this Christmas season and finding time to reflect on HIS indescribable gift!  I'm popping in to share a window card I made using several of this month's new releases from Our Daily Bread designs.  I used the Stitched Background for my front, and cut out my window with the Our Daily Bread designs custom Elegant Oval Die, made by Spellbinders for ODBD.  I also used the Honeycomb Background for the inside, embossing it with clear embossing powder and then using a resist technique, I sponged on T Holtz distress ink in Scattered Straw.  I used the Daisy/Black Eyed Susan set, stamping three times and cutting out elements I wanted to use and coloring with Copics.  I used a sentiment from Little Things for my inside sentiment and cut it with Spellbinders Label One, then matted with SB Ornate Artisan Tags & Accents.  The little gingham ribbon was in my stash, and I added the bees from Simple Things, making the stitched background look like their trails.

I don't know about you, but I love winter and snow until Christmas, but then I'm ready for spring, so hopefully this card will make someone smile not long after the holidays are over I'm sure!  I will share another springy card soon!  Meantime... be blessed as you celebrate this wonderful season!

I am entering this in the following challenges:
Crazy Amigo Challenge - Embossing, Creative Craft Challenges - Faux Or Real Stitching(I think the stitched bg qualifies for faux!), Ladybug Crafts Ink TLT Challenge - #50 Bingo ( I used center down: ribbon, flowers, and dies/punches), Make it Monday - always Anything Goes, Paper Pretties -  Ribbon, Smudgy Antics - NO CUTE - Inspired by a Book, Poem or Film (Bible) You may use any image to play, but to win must use Smudgy Antics image, The Cutie Pie Challenge - cards - Use a Sentiment, Corrosive Challenges -Anything BUT Christmas

Noel!

It is time for ODBD Stamping In Time Challenge (SNTODBD49)! The assignment is to use Our Daily Bread Design stamps. The challenge this rotation is the same as last  rotation.  We are in crunch time for mailings and gift giving.  So, we are creating MORE Christmas cards, gift packaging, gift ideas or anything festive you can think of to share with a Christmas theme!     Remember, the more you play the more you increase your chance to win! We look forward to seeing what you create using ODBD stamps!

I have used Our Daily Bread designs Holiday Ornaments 2 (designed by Dawn Lusk) for the ornament and also the "Noel" and the Spellbinder's Holiday Tags to cut it,  and Peace and Joy, along with the matching custom die for the snowflake. I stamped the ornament with Versafine and sponged with THoltz distress ink.  I stamped the snowflake, die cut it, then glittered it with a glue pen.  I popped the snowflake up and added a little snowflake bling for a pop.  I "hung" my ornament with some twine.  I used this week's sketch from SCS with a Papertrey base, SU! Kraft, and Memory Box scraps.  I used an MS Holly edge punch for my border.

I love these ornament stamps!  I have made literally a TON of tags up with them in a real quick order!  There are wonderful sentiments that go inside the oval or on the inside of a tag.  Here are some ornaments I made to use for packages:

Now... I hope you will play along with us... let's see all those Christmas cards and projects that you need to get finished up!!!  You might win some ODBD stamps for playing along!

Please stop by the rest of the designers who created samples for today!
Lori, Betty

Here are the other challenges I played along in:
ABC Christmas Challenge -  anything goes, Creative Belli -winter/Christmas, Divas by Design -  anything goes, Freshly Brewed - #76 Christmas, My Mum's Craft shop -#35 traditional Christmas, Penny's Paper-Crafty -  #68 Merry Christmas, The Paper Variety - #63 Christmas song inspired (The first Noel which means birthday), Whimsical Wednesdays - holiday plus sparkly, Cards und More -  must stamp  Snowflakes, Crafty Sentiments  -  Snowflakes, Creative Card Crew -  Tis The Season, Ladybug Crafts Ink TLT Challenge - #49 Snowflakes & Sparkle, Tuesday Throwdown - #77 Celebrate The Season, Craft Your Passion - Anything Goes PLUS Glitter, Heart Song Inspirations -Christmas and /or Red, Green, White, Make it Monday - always Anything Goes, Paper Creations Ink -  "Bling It Up!", Stamp and Create -Vintage, The Crazy Challenge -  Anything goes, The Pink Elephant - Snowflakes and Sparkles, Whoopsi Daisy  - Snowflakes, Card Cupids - Winter, Come and Get It Challenges - Anything Christmas, Let`s Ink It Up -  Must use rubber stamp (NO digi) -  Christmas

Thanks for stopping by and for all your encouraging comments!

Black Eyed Susies!

Hello friends!  I know..... everyone's into Christmas.... so why am I doing spring here?  Well.... I'm sharing one of the new singles released this month by Our Daily Bread designs called Daisies/ Blackeyed Susans.  I actually made this last week for the sketch challenge on SCS but just didn't get a chance to show it here.  I paired the image with the Seed Packet, which I stamped on Kraft with Versafine Vintage Sepia.  The floral is stamped with Memento and colored with Copics.  I added a scrap of burlap and twine,  an OLD flower, and button from my button box.  The dp is My Mind's Eye Lost & Found Rosy.  

I am entering this in the following challenges:
Heart Song Inspirations - Banner and/or Buttons, Make it Monday - always Anything Goes, I Did It Creations - Flowers, One Stitch At A Time -  "Be Square", Catch The Bug - Anything goes, Craft Your Days Away  -  Buttons or bows


That's it for today!  Hope you all have a fantastic week!

From my Heart With Love

Hello friends!  Happy Sunday!  Although I am officially on a little break, I did manage to create a card for this week's Stampin Sisters in Christ challenge.  Our hostess this week is Lisa, and she has chosen Matthew 1:20-22, "But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, 'Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.' All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 'The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel' which means, 'God with us.'" for this week's Scripture.  

Lisa's challenge is to create a card/project depicting an angel.

My card today is super quick, using an image and sentiment from Great Impressions, as well as  Labels 1 from Spellbinders... both the Grand, and the small.  I also used the SB Twisted Metal Tags for my sentiment.  I colored with Copics and painted the wings with Shimmerz Angels Wings.  I'm not really sure if this image is supposed to be an angel or a fairy, but I had bought it and colored it up for a special little 10 year old... so I went with it.  I don't have very many stamps that fit the challenge so I hope this will do! :)

The Scripture today is one that I have pondered so often. How did Joseph feel about all that happened while he was engaged to Mary, but they had not yet lived together?     Mary KNEW this child was from God, because she knew she had not slept with a man!  But how  did Joseph feel when he first found out that Mary was pregnant?  Did he doubt her? How did he feel about all that was told him by the angel? Did he at first doubt the angel?  There's not much that we know about his feelings... but we do know that he obeyed and did as the angel told him.   I can't even imagine being in this situation!  I would be overwhelmed... scared...doubtful, yet honored that God had chosen me for this incredible responsibility!  I believe somehow, God must have granted Joseph incredible wisdom and faith!  Humanly speaking, no man would believe his pregnant fiance when she said she was pregnant yet still a virgin!  Joseph however, took her as his wife, but kept her as a virgin until the Christ Child was born.   Can you imagine being given the task of raising the very Son of God?  Oh my.... I can't!!!   Perhaps we fail to think of the role this special man had in providing a home for the Christ Child, for caring for Him until He was old enough to begin His ministry!  I picture him with Jesus by his side, teaching Him the skills of a carpenter, and I picture Jesus taking it all in as any little boy would.  But there came the time when Jesus told His earthly parents that He had to be about His Heavenly Father's Business.  This child was not born to live only as a human, and to perform only human tasks.... He was born to die in the most painful way possible, yet without sin, so that His shed blood could wash away  our sins.  At some point.... these parents... Joseph and Mary must have realized the incredible purpose their little boy had come to earth for.... and they must have had to realize that yes, He came to die even for them!  It blows my mind!

How about you?  Have you accepted the salvation He came to offer you?  Are you willing to be obedient to whatever God calls you to do?  This Christmas season.... I am focusing my mind and heart more than ever before on this indescribable gift that was given for you and for me!  I am thankful that with this job loss has come a "freedom" from the bondage to buying and running around in a mad dash as the holiday quickly approaches!  This year, I'm hoping that the truths of this incredible story will penetrate my heart in new ways... and that I will respond with more love and commitment than ever before!

I wish you and yours a most blessed, Spirit filled Christmas season!

Our sponsor this week is Clear Dollar Stamps! 

The prize is a $15.00 Gift Certificate to the CDS Store!

We thank them for their continued support!

To read Lisa's devotional and for the full details on the challenge, please visit the Stampin Sisters in Christ Blog!

Be sure to check out the rest of the design team for more inspiration:
Chris, Linda,  Miesje, Rebecca,   Peggysue,  MariLynn,  Lisa, and Traci

I am entering this in the following challenges:

Inkspirations

2 Sisters - #68 Punches and/or Dies, Catch The Bug -  Anything goes, Craft Your Days Away  -  Buttons or bows, Little Claire's  -  Shaped Cards,  Alphabet Challenge –  V is for Vibrant,  Inspire Me Fridays - Anything, Wags 'n Whiskers - Week 2, Angel or Fairy, Card and Scrap -Angels, Paper Crafting Journey -  Anything Goes, Southern Girls -  Ribbon, Cooking It Up With Katie - anything goes, Divas by Design - anything goes, Paper Shelter Challenge -anything goes

Dec. Release Blog Hop!

Hello friends!  Welcome to the Our Daily Bread designs Dec. Release Blog Hop!  If you got here from Gemiel's Beautiful Blog, you are in the right place!  If not, you should start at the ODBD Blog so you don't miss a thing!  There are lots of goodies up for grabs this month.... so be sure to follow the rules to qualify to win one of the prizes!

Here are the details of the Blog Hop:

The Hop will run 8am EST Dec 1 til 8pm EST Dec 2. The winners will be announced on the ODBD Blog on Dec 3.

There will be SIX prizes of Choice of 1 FREE SET!!! 

Merry Christmas!!!

 Here is what you need to do to be in the drawing for these SIX prizes:

• Hop to each blog listed below, leaving a comment for each designer
• Return here to this post and let us know you completed the hop and left comments  for each designer, or make note of any you could not comment on
• In this same comment, answer the question on the ODBD Blog

Now on to my card details:

I used Simple Things and the custom Die Cut to cut it out, and the Honeycomb Background.  I stamped my images with Memento and colored with Copics.  I stamped the sentiment with VersaColor.  I used Cheery Lynn Fanciful Flourish Die to cut my vines, and Spellbinder's Labels 21 and Fleur de Lis Accents to frame the sentiment.  My base is Bazzill, and the white is Gina K Pure Luxury heavy weight.  I embossed the Honeycomb bg with T Holtz Distress Embossing Powder in Antique Linen.  I kept the card flat and mailable with only some tiny pearls added to the corners.  

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you enjoyed my creation....
The next stop on the hop is Debi!