This "MAY" be a sneak peek!

Hello friends!  I hope you're doing well!  We are finally enjoying what I consider perfect spring weather!  Carolina blue skies and perfect temps and I'm in my glory!

 I wanted to pop in and share a sneak peek at some new wonderful sets in the  May release from  Our Daily Bread designs.  I used a set called Belles Vignes for my sentiment, and a new Butterfly and Bugs set, along with a matching Butterfly and Bugs die set.  I also used a past release for the die that cut my sentiment, Elegant Ovals.  I pieced a patchwork background using scraps from the Shabby Rose Paper Collection, and I stitched in spite of a machine that hates paper! LOL!  I placed it all on a base of Sahara Sand card stock and added some wide lace for a shabby feel.  The butterflies are stamped in Memento Rich Cocoa, colored with Copics, and then cut with the custom die, then I cut another butterfly from vellum for a shadow effect on each butterfly. 

I am totally stoked about this upcoming release!  I have had a blast working on samples and I've been amazed at what the rest of the DT has come up with!  I think you're going to consider this one of the best releases yet!  I hope you'll be back on May 1 to view it all!

Today's Blessing from the Word:

Luke 7:47

Therefore I tell you, her sins , which were many, are forgiven ~ for she loved much.  But he who is forgiven little, loves little.

Thanking God for His amazing grace in forgiving all my sin, and His love for each one of us!

Sorry to hear you're under the weather!

Hello friends!  I do hope NONE of you are under the weather today!   However, if you are... consider this my card to you!

I played again with this month's release from Our Daily Bread Designs.  I used the April Showers stamp set for my sentiment, and stamped it with Baja Breeze ink, then cut it with one of the GORGEOUS dies in the Custom Layered Lacey Squares Die set.  I then took a scrap of design paper and cut the next size up from this die set, embossed it and then ran my white craft ink pad over the raised areas.  I heat embossed white embossing powder on those areas, leaving a shiny edge with some of the original peachy colored paper peeking through.  I like how it emphasizes the pattern of the die cut and the shimmer it gave.  I then cut the lacey largest die cut piece from white and embossed it.  I popped up each layer with dimensional tape and adhered it to a simple layout of design paper from Pebbles Garden Party.  I'm so in love with this paper and it's so cheery for a showery April!  Mine was a gift from a sweet friend, but you can find it in AC Moore.  I used a scrap of design paper from my last card and cut an umbrella from it using the Umbrella Die, and sponged it to give just a little more definition. I cut some heart raindrops from the Clouds and Raindrops Die set and added them to my upper left corner.  I then took a Clear Wink of Stella pen and colored the umbrella and the heart raindrops.  I love the shimmer that gave, although the photo does not show it.  It's raining here again today... basically all week we are having showers, so no great photos, but a great time to stamp!   The little ribbon with rose is from Micheal's bridal department.  I'm loving how small it is and how easily it fits a card without overwhelming it. 

Well that's it for today!  It's a pretty simple design but hopefully will bring some cheer to one who's not feeling well!

Today's Blessing from the Word:

Deut. 8:3

He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna... to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.

Blessings,

April Showers Bring May Flowers!

Hello friends!  I hope you all enjoyed a blessed Easter!  

I'm popping in quickly to share a gate fold card I made using this month's release from Our Daily Bread Designs. I used April Showers for my sentiment, and cut it with a Vintage Flourish  Pattern die.  I used this fun design paper from Pebbles Garden Party pack which was just perfect for this theme!  I used the Umbrella Die set and the Clouds and Raindrops die set to cut my raindrops and cloud, as well as the umbrella. The cute little heart flowers are also from the Clouds and Raindrops die set.  Aren't they cute?  For the stem for them I used the Happy Birthday balloon  string die.   I added frost Stickles to the raindrops.  I used the Ornamental Crosses die set to cut some of the little flowers, and  I nestled them in among blades of grass from the Grass Border Die.  For the sun, I used the Matting Circles die for the rays, and the circle from the Recipe Card and Tags die set.  The base is Neenah Solar White 140lb card stock and here is the cool dp on the insides.

The center panel is a little planting guide and I cut out the seed packs from the design paper as well.  The center panel is soft enough to write a message on, or you could write on the back.  

We are supposed to start getting showers tonight and even some more violent storms later this week, and all I can think of is all the things we've planted already and looking forward to seeing the new plants pop their heads up!  

I hope you enjoyed this quick card!  While I absolutely adore flowers, I am reminded of  Isaiah 40:8

"The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.” 

Even in spring time, when the whole earth seems to be coming forth with new life, all things have their season, and then they fade away.  There is only One who is eternal, and that is God Himself, and His Word endures forever. He can be trusted, for He is good, and loves us as His most precious creation.  I'm finding that the older I get, and the closer I get to that time when He'll either call me home, or I'll meet Him in the air... His trustworthiness and all of His eternal attributes mean more to me than ever before.  I know His Word is true, and I'm totally resting in it!  I do hope you are too!

Blessings,

Welcome to the April ODBD Release!

Hello friends!   Welcome to the ODBD April release! 

I hope you've had the chance to see the full release.  If not, you can see it all HERE.  

As always, you have the opportunity to win some prizes just for visiting the design team's blogs and leaving a comment.  You will love the inspiration you will see on this hop!  Here are the details on how to win:

Three randomly selected winners will each receive a $25 gift certificate to the ODBD Store, to be used toward the purchase of ODBD Stamps found in the "stamps column" of the website just for commenting on the Design Team cards!  You have until April 2, 2015 at 9:00 p.m. EDT to leave your comments on the Designers Blogs for a chance to win!  The Winners will be posted on the ODBD Blog on April 3rd, so be sure to check back there to see if you won!

For my card above I used the wonderful How Sweet the Sound set for my sentiment.  I also used the GORGEOUS Layered Lacey Squares dies.  *Swoon*!  I love this new die set and of course, I'm in love with the stamps too!  Past releases I used include Beautiful Borders dies (cut 2 so both front and back are on the lacey border), Gilded Gate Die, Fancy Foliage Dies, and the Shabby Rose Paper Collection.  I love the softness of this paper pack!  To embellish this card I used some gauze, flowers from Wild Orchid and Prima, and the flourish from the Fancy Foliage Die set.  I kept the colors just blue and white for a calming feel.

Here are the New Release products used on this card:

 

For my second card, I used the new Umbrella Die, the April Showers stamp set, and the Shabby Rose Paper Collection.  I wanted to create a sort of Victorian look to my umbrella/parasol, so I cut the base umbrella from brushed gold paper, layered with the tiny rose print from the Shabby Rose Paper Collection, and then added a little lace to the bottom.  I heat embossed the sentiment in gold on another piece of design paper from the same pack, and backed it with more of the same lace.  I embellished the umbrella handle with a spray of tiny silk flowers and a hand died wrinkled seam binding bow.  I wanted the paper to really show so I did not add tons of layers or "stuff" but chose some pearls from  ZVA Creative.  I like how it simple but feminine it came out.

Here are the NEW Release products used on this card:

 

  Here is the list of Designers participating in this hop:

Julie * Sandee * Cathy * Dawn * Cathy * Lori  Angie * Chris * Grace *Silke 

* Wanda * Audrey * Sabrina

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Blessings,

In Awesome Wonder

Hello friends!

I hope you are all doing well and looking forward to a wonderful Easter celebration!  

Today I'm sharing a really quick CAS card to give you a sneak peek at a brand new set to be released tomorrow at ODBD!  This set is called How Great Thou Art, and I love that hymn so much, that of course, I'm thrilled with this set!  

I used today's color challenge on Splitcoaststampers.  I stamped the sentiment from the new set, then added some grass using this month's release, Grass Border Die.  To that I added various flowers either die cut from the Ornamental Cross die set, or punched with a Carl Punch.  A little shaping and pearls finished them off.  I added the cloud at the top, using another sneak peek at the ODBD Custom Clouds and Raindrops die, also coming tomorrow.  I die cut the bottom of the card base with a Spellbinders On the Edge die.  Very CAS but honestly, that's all I had time for today, and I kind of like the crisp clean look!  Very mailable, which is one of my goals as well! LOL!

I hope you will come back tomorrow to check out the entire release and all the incredible inspiration you will find from all the designers!

Thanks for stopping, and hope to see you soon!

Blessings,

God Helps Us handle what we are given!

Hello friends!  I hope you are all doing well!

Today I'm sharing a quick card made with the newly released ODBD 7th Anniversary Commemorative Stamp set, God Quotes.  I heat embossed the sentiment with gold, and cut it with the ODBD Custom Circle Ornament Die.  I then cut an ODBD Custom Quatrefoil Design from white and the larger element from a green paper from the ODBD Blushing Rose Paper Collection.  I layered them up and adhered to a white embossed layer and then popped that up on my base, which was matted with a piece of paper from the Heart and Soul Paper Collection.  I cut that layer with the largest die in the Flourished Star Die set.  It's all on a base of Neenah Solar White.  I stamped and heat embossed two images from the Cherry Blossom set, and lightly watercolored with Su! Markers and water.  I fussy cut them and added them to embellish the sentiment.  A tiny gold cord and some little pink pearls finished it off.  I kept this one pretty flat and mailable.  

Today's blessing from the Word is from a daily devotional that was given to me by a sweet friend, and which I have treasured for it's many pearls of wisdom.  The verse is Ps. 119:67

"Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word." 

Since I have just begun a new form of treatment for my pain issues, I found it a great reminder that while no affliction is pleasant for the moment, it can have a wonderfully cleansing effect on us, and certainly can be used by God to grow us in our faith, prune us for His use, discipline us when needed, and prepare us for that home He's preparing for us for all eternity!

Think about that when you are in pain or in any deep affliction!  May it encourage you as it has me!

 

Blessings,

The end of worry!

Hello friends!  I hope you are all doing well!  

It's a beautiful day here in NC and I'm enjoying the warm temps before it once again takes a dive down for the weekend!  We have planted our cool weather plants already and it's supposed to go below freezing Sat.- Sun. so we'll have to remember to cover the tender plants!  

Anyway... I actually made this card a few days ago, but just didn't have time to post it here yet.  It is made with one of the sentiments from the newly released ODBD Anniversary set, God Quotes.  I also used the Hydrangea flower single stamp, and Basket of Blessings for my basket.  I stamped and colored the hydrangeas twice, using Copics for coloring, and then I fussy cut them and popped them up on my basket image, also colored with Copics.  I cut the sentiment with a tag from the ODBD Custom Recipe Card and Tags die set, and added a pretty lacy border from the Beautiful Borders Die set.  The designer paper is Memory Box Frond, and the card stock and ribbon is SU! Bashful Blue.  A white doily, cut with the ODBD Custom Doily Die serves as a backdrop and a little bakers twine secures the tag to the basket handle.  It's pretty quick to make and yet doesn't feel overly simple.  I hope it will brighten someone's day!

Here's today's blessing from the Word:

2 Cor. 4:16-17

"So we do not lose heart.... For this momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison." 

I'm currently beginning a new kind of treatment for my pain issues.  It's easy to get discouraged and even to worry about things like our health, finances, family issues, the state of the world around us, etc.  This verse reminds us that whatever we are going through right now is temporary, and it's preparing us for something more wonderful than we can even comprehend!  Let's ask Him to show us how we can use our temporary afflictions to bring Him glory!  

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Have a wonderful rest of the week!!!