A Precious Gift from God!

 Hello friends!  I hope all is well with you all!!!

Today I want to share a card I made a couple weeks ago but just have not had time to share with you here!  This was to honor fellow SCS stamper, and uber talented Loll!  I used the SU! Fifth Ave. flower and the sentiment is from Su! Refuge and Strength.  I just love this big rose image and I had a lot of fun coloring it! 

I stamped the rose on watercolor paper and watercolored with SU! markers and an aqua brush.  After coloring it, I spritzed it lightly with my water mister, then I added some rain drops (as in the Sound of Music... raindrops on roses.... these are a few of my favorite things!) by adding drops of Crystal Effects.  The leaves are the ODBD Zinnia and Leaves Die and I curled them over my piercer to give some dimension.  The flower and leaves are both popped up with dimensionals.

I kept it CAS because that is how Loll stamps.  I am trying to get more comfortable with the CAS style, but when you see her work, you are definitely inspired to try it.  In actuality, I like to try all styles and am really trying NOT to get stuck in just one style.  I'm stretching and trying to reach in to some not so comfortable zones.

The thought occured to me that we need to do the same thing in our own lives.  Are there areas of your life in which  you would love to try to grow?  Often, our fears of the unknown, or stepping out of our comfort zone will keep us from ever taking that leap and stretching to new heights.  This is also true of our spiritual lives!  Is there something God is telling you He'd like you to do... but you're afraid?   

Today's Blessing:

 Deuteronomy 31:6

Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

With Heartfelt Sympathy!

''

Hello friends!   I was asked to guest design for the Queen for the Day Challenge on Splitcoaststampers this week.  Our lovely queen this week is Kim  (berlycece), and you can find the card I cased HERE. 

 My image is SU! Pleasant Poppies, and I colored with Copics and cut out with Spellbinders Deckled Rectangles. I added some white gel pen accents to the flowers for a little more pop. The base is So Saffron(SU!)   and I stamped the sentiment from SU! Simply Sketched on the base with Memento ink. The designer paper is BoBunny Serenade Collection... and I have to say I love this pack!   

 The border at the top that looks like loose leaf paper is Spellbinders On The Edge Borders, and the lower border is Spellbinders A2 Curved Border, which I cut once from the designer paper and once from black to create a mat.  I decorated the inside with the negative cutaway. 

Thanks so much for stopping by and for your lovely comments!  I am getting ready for some Grandma time tomorrow through Sunday!  Can't!!!

Today's Blessing:

James 5:16

The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

This Hug's For You!

Hello friends!  Popping in real quick to say hello, and to share another "just for fun" card with you!

I created this card to honor our SCS  Queen for the Day, Sandie, a few weeks ago.  I had loved her owl cards and had left her a comment about them, and  she had so kindly sent me some of these awesome punched pieces for this cute little SU! owl.  Since I have a couple young ladies in my life who love owls, this was for one of them. Anyway... I traced the "clothing" part from the card stock to some designer paper so I could dress my owl in something eye catching.  I gave her a little shadow, and perched her on a Spellbinders die from the Cherry Blossom Set.  I used designer paper from Echo Park "This and That" pad, and added the sweet sentiment from Great Impressions to keep it clean and simple.

I love the sentiment on this card... It could be used for Valentine's Day, but it could also be used when someone is just feeling down and they need a little encouragement... a paper hug from someone who loves them!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Just Because I Care!

Hello friends!

I created this card for a couple challenges on SCS.  One was the Clean and Simple Challenge to use scallops on your CAS card, and one was the Technique Lover's Challenge to revisit an old technique of water coloring on kraft.  We were to emboss an image on kraft paper in white, then water color it as is, or use white craft ink or paint on the image, and then water color over that.  I used just white craft ink on my stem and leaves, let it dry and water colored it lightly, but the flower, I embossed in white, then painted it with white acrylic paint.  When that dried I used SU! inks to color it, using an aqua pen.  I popped up the image but kept the card CAS to fit the rules.  I'm still struggling with clean and simple, but I am challenging myself to conquer the fear and keep trying!!!

The image is from SU! Fabulous Florets, and the sentiment is from SU! Best Yet set.  It was fun to get out some stamps I have not touched in ages and play!  Today is my birthday and I had been sick yesterday, so didn't feel up to anything too taxing today... but this was just for fun.

Here's today's blessing from my "Blessings from the Word" box:
Ps. 138:8
"The Lord will work out His plans for my life - for Your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever" NLT

I hope your week is off to a great start! 

Hugs,

Get Well Soon!!!

Hello friends!  I hope you are all doing well!

Today I want to share something different for me. I know I usually do Our Daily Bread designs cards, but I have had this set for a while and just have not had time to use it.   This is a card I made for a Splitcoast Stampers color challenge a couple weeks ago, but have not had time to share here.  I used a new to me SU! set I have always wanted because I love the sentiments in the set.  Its called Thoughts and Prayers.  I am trying to keep a rack stocked at my church where people can take a card if they want, and if the wish, they can leave a donation in a locked box which totally goes to a missions fund... but they don't have to leave anything to take a card.  Certain categories of cards are hard to keep in stock... and this is one.... get well!  I bought this set because the images don't need to be colored.  I simply used my SU! markers to color the stamp before I stamped it, and that was all I did.  So between the easy images and fantastic sentiments, I think this set will be used a lot here.

I used white for my base, added a layer of My Mind's Eye Be Happy, then a mat of Crisp Cantelope, and the sentiment panel is matted in Old Olive.  The dies are SB Butterfly Corners and the embossing folder is an Anna Griffin folder by Cuttlebug.  The little butterfly is Prima. 

So... I'm in the process of going through my craft room and pulling out some things that I either have too much of or just don't need any more.  Soon I'll be writing to one of my faithful followers to get your address and send you a little love.  This IS the season of giving after all!  :)  Thank you all for the love and support you give me here... it really means a lot to me and I love hearing from you!

Today's thought:

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.  Col. 3:23