Farewell Kristine!

Today is bittersweet... sad because Kristine Breach has decided to step down from the Layers of Color design team, and we will all miss her and her gorgeous creations very much, but sweet because as sisters in Christ we know our bond will never be broken and we know God will use Kristine however He leads her from here. I will truly miss Kristine's remarkable talent with these gorgeous stamps... so today I'm sharing a couple of my favorite of her creations while designing for Layers of Color. The card above just grabs me... it's such a simple design but she has so beautifully used the designer paper to set the background for the lovely image from Nature Walk and for this wonderful verse.

The card below is my all time favorite of Kristine's!

Isn't this the coolest card? I love how she used the Vintage Rose Art Stamps to make this gorgeous teacup card! I so want to case this one day! I have a teacup that looks a lot like this!!!

Kristine... I'm truly going to miss you on the design team! Your art has been such an inspiration to me and I love your style!!! I also love your heart... a true heart for the Lord! I do hope you'll pop in from time to time on SNR to share with us one of your creations.... because they always inspire me and leave me amazed!

The Lord be with you in all you do Kristine! He has gifted you with amazing talent and a strong faith... I know He has big plans for you! One of the reasons I picked the top card today was because that was the first verse I thought of to leave you with today! It expresses my heart!

Prov. 3:5&6
"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not on thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy paths."

To see more of Kristine's fabulous "LOC favorite artwork", please visit the following blogs:

Laura Campbell (LOC Owner)

Janice Whiting

Linda Lucas

Melisa Waldorf

Nina Brackett

Blessings,

A little birdie told me....

This is a flip card and this is the front:

Hello everyone! It's Sunday and time for another Stampin Sisters in Christ challenge! Today's hostess is Randi Barrett. If you don't know Randi, I highly recommend you start visiting her blog and getting to know her, because she will bless your heart! Randi has been through many serious health issues, and is presently awaiting results of tests again. For all of us who have been there... we know that waiting to find out what's going on and what the treatment will be is in many ways the hardest part! It's hard not to be just a wee bit anxious... but Randi has this incredible sense of humor that I believe is a gift from God! She is so grounded in God's Word that she does not worry about tomorrow, for her future is sure! But for today... she will lighten any room she is in with her strong Christian testimony and her ability to make us laugh every time!

So given her sense of humor, it is no surprise that Randi chose for today's Scripture:

Proverbs 17:22

"A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones."

The challenge for today is to make a clean humorous card.
When you flip the middle panel, this is the inside message:

If you can't read it, it says "So I ate him. Your secret's safe with me. Happy Birthday!"

I don't have a whole lot of humorous stamps, but I do have a couple of these Repeat Impressions stamp sets which include a two part sentiment designed to go inside and out, or in this case I made a swing card. Trouble is it's a BEAR to photograph!!! I could not get the two parts in one photo you could still read and because it's more or less a Z fold, just the way it stands makes it hard to picture the front. So please forgive the bad photography... but I thought the sentiment was funny. (No I don't think it's funny that cats eat birds...I love birds and that's one of the reasons my cat is an inside only cat! LOL... ) I used a combination of Copics and Prisma Pencils to color my images and I sponged around the outside with Pebbles Pearlescent Chalks. The DP is K&Co by Marcella. I used a couple of tiny punches for the little flowers, and an MS branch edge punch for the green edge.

Our sponsor this week is DeeDee's Digis. Thank you DeeDee!
DeeDee has some of the cutest digi images! Be sure to check out her site and good luck in the drawing!

We'd love to have you play along... if you do, please place a link to the Stampin Sisters in Christ Blog in your post, and place a direct link to your project on the SSIC thread.

Be sure to check out the rest of the Design Team for more inspiration for this week's challenge!

Chris

Cindy
Linda
Randi
Peggysue
Miesje
Rebekkah
Lisa

Challenges:

Penny's Paper Crafty - Anything Goes
Creative Card Crew - Cute and Girly
Crafty Creations - Winged Things
Lili of the Valley - Spring Summer or Winter (Spring birdie)
Fab & Funky - Favorite Color Combo - pink and green

LOC Stencils and techniques

Hello everyone!  I have a project to share with you today that was really fun!  I used two of the different Layers of Color Art Stencils, and the Touch of Elegance Art Stamp Set.I used a $1.00 wood frame from Micheal's and painted it with a cream colored acrylic paint.  I glazed it with Plaid Antiquing Medium.  This went down into the grain and gave the wood a lot of depth, though the photo doesn't show that.  I then used the Victorian Corner Art Stencil from Layers of Color, and holding it in my corners, I sponged with Walnut Stain (Tuskineko).

For the inside of the frame I first made the designer paper for the background.  I used basic black card stock and a glue pad and the Belle Brocade Stencil.  I rubbed glue from the glue pad over the stencil that was laid on top of the black paper, then I poured tan flocking over it and tapped off the excess.  The result is a flocked and gorgeous background.  The photo does not do it justice.  I had this idea I wanted to add a piece of old jewelry to the center but never did come up with just that right thing, so I made this little medallion using the LOC Touch of Elegance Art Stamp set, stanped on tan paper and heat embossed with black EP.  I popped this up on dimensionals over a die cut from a Spellbinder's Contemporary Heart Die cut set.  I added a black pearl in the center. 

Thanks so much for looking!  I love reading your comments!
Challenges I'm entering this into:

Cupcake Challenge - Distressing (Distress Inks)
Cute Card Thursday -Whatevah
Dutch Dare Card Challenges~ anything goes
Stamping Royalty - Create  your own dp (I flocked mine)
OCC - Embossing (heat embossed center)

Do Not be Discouraged!

Hello everyone! It's Sunday and time for another Stampin Sisters in Christ challenge! Our challenge hostess this week is Lisa, and she has chosen the following Scripture for this week's focus:
Philippians 3:13-14 "Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

The challenge is: Make a card of apology or one reaching out to someone and encouraging them to put the past behind them and move forward

This verse is a wonderful one, because I believe that if anyone could have been "hung up" on his past, it could be Paul, yet he KNEW he'd been forgiven, he'd been changed, and was now appointed to be an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ! He didn't let his past sins drag him down and render him ineffective. Instead he pressed on to what he could do... today and from this day forward.... We all have that same opportunity! Regardless of our past, regardless of how deep into sin we have fallen, Christ stands ready to forgive us and to change us into vessels fit for His use, when we repent and turn our lives over to Him! I know many people who have real trouble accepting God's forgiveness. They ask for forgiveness, and then guilt feelings move back in as well as doubts and discouragement. Once we've truly repented of our sins, the Bible tells us that God has removed them as far as the east is from the west. Praise God! Accept His forgiveness, but then move forward to do what He wants you to do from this day forward! If you struggle with feelings of guilt even after having really repented ... those guilt feelings are lies from the evil one, and you stand on the authority of God's Word to rebuke him!

Why does Satan want so much to accuse us and keep us riddled with any negative emotion he can? Because if he can rob us of the joy of our salvation.... he can render us useless in doing God's work and allowing Him to work through us! Paul is saying that we should press on to "win the prize". If we are in Christ... we are saved, and heaven is ours, but we will answer to God for our works here on earth... and some of us will be rewarded with many crowns, to cast at our Saviour's feet, others with very few. There are many reasons some of us may not be doing all we should be right now... for some it's false guilt, but for others it's fear of rejection, ridicule, anxiety, discouragement, or many other reasons . I chose this verse from the Our Daily Bread designs DT Scripture Collection 3 because it speaks to me.... I tend to be anxious and fearful. Those emotions are just as damaging as guilt, and this verse reminds me not to be discouraged, or afraid. With the full assurance that God will be with us wherever we go, let's press on, for our reward is not on this earth.... it's in heaven!

Card Details:
Stamps: Our Daily Bread designs Don't Worry (image) and DT Scripture Collection 3
Ink: Chocolate Chip, River Rock
Paper: Bazzill base, Memory Box Gossamer DP, Gina K Cream
Accessories: Copics, lace, Hero Arts Pearls, MS Punch, EK Success 1 1/2" circle punch, SB Petite Circles die, Silk flowers from stash

Please join us in welcoming back Simon Says Stamp as our faithful monthly sponsor this week!!! Simon Says Stamp offers a huge variety of the most popular stamps and supplies, including a line of exclusive stamps!!!  One of you lucky ladies will win this adorable stamp set for playing in this week's challenge! 

We'd love to have you play along... if you do, please place a link to the Stampin Sisters in Christ Blog in your post, and place a direct link to your project on the SSIC thread.

Be sure to check out the rest of the Design Team for more inspiration for this week's challenge!

We're so excited that Miesje, Cindy and Rebekkah will be staying on as Design Team Members!

Chris
Cindy
Linda
Randi
Peggysue
Lisa
Miesje
Rebekkah

Challenges:
Midnight Madness 65
Stampin Sisters in Christ
Cupcake Challenge - Distressing (Distress Inks)
Cute Card Thursday -Whatevah
Stamp Something - Inspiration challenge - I used the colors
Dutch Dare Card Challenges~ anything goes
One Stitch at a Time~little pink

Sparkle creations~fave embellishment (silk ribbon!!)
Alota Rubber Stamps~Distressing
Delightful sketches~distressing
Stars and Stamps~patterned paper

Sunflower Blessings

Good Monday Morning everyone! What a month July was for us.... BUSY! But so fun! But now it's Aug. and time to get back into my routine! LOL!

It felt so good to get into my craft room last night and make another card using the newly released Our Daily Bread designs sets Happy Fall and Harvest Blessings. I just love sunflowers and had to make another card while the release blog hop is still going on!

If you are here for the ODBD Blog hop, please see the post below, and if you are here for the Stampin Sisters in Christ, please see 2 posts below.

This card uses the Our Daily Bread designs sunflower images from Happy Fall and part of the sentiment from Harvest Blessings. It is colored with Copics and the papers are: Chatter Box (checked), The Paper Patch (Sunflowers) and Bazzill base. I used this week's Midnight Madneses Sketch for my layout. I used these amazing die cuts by Nellies from Terryfic Times. All the layers of the die are connected so you cut several at a time, but to make new frames for my focal point I also used SB circles to cut the inner edges and layered up my dies. All the die cuts were done on GPW and then sponged with Distress Inks. I repurposed some raffia and added a sunflower charm and some sewing. The trim is made from natural rope and is by Fancy Fashion from Hobby Lobby.

Thanks so much for looking and please check out this month's release and blog hop! You have until 8PM tonight to complete the hop for three chances to win! Also, ODBD now has great dies that precisely cut out the images in Harvest Blessings and Happy Fall, and some new frames for those old favorites, Scripture Collections 1 & 2. You will love them!

I am entering this in the following challenges:
Our Daily Bread Designs Shining the Light (charm, ribbon +one)
Midnight Madness (Sketch)
Cute Card Thursday (Text)
Delightful Sketches (1. Great Outdoors, 2. Dps, 3. embellies - raffia, charm, rope trim)
Paperplay - (Anything goes)
Sew Many Challenges Anything Goes

Our Daily Bread Designs Aug. Release Blog Hop!

Hello everyone and welcome to Our Daily Bread design's Aug 1 release blog hop! If you are looking for the Stampin Sisters in Christ post, it is one post below.

I am the first stop on the hop today, so if you get lost along the way or any links are broken, just return to the ODBD Blog for the next person in line! We hope you enjoy this months sets as much as we do!!! I can tell you that these will be among my favorites for sure!

This month Kelley is giving away THREE Gift Certificates of $15.00 toward stamps at the ODBD Store! To make it a little more fun ... the prizes are hidden on three different blogs and you won't know which ones, so be sure to leave a comment on each DT blog, because three blog owners will be choosing a winner from their commenters now through Aug 2, 8pm Eastern! So grab your favorite beverage and enjoy the hop! Be sure to return to the ODBD Blog and leave a comment there that you completed the hop and left comments for everyone, noting there if there were any you could not comment on. The hop will close at 8pm eastern tomorrow night (Aug 2). The winners will be announced Tues. on the ODBD Blog!

For my card today, I used the new ODBD set called Harvest Blessings. I just love these sunflowers and they are so easy to color! I used Copics for mine and then highlighted with Stickles on the flower centers. My border frame is a Spellbinders Borderability, Lotus Blossom. I had to cut and piece it a bit to get it to fit. I cut it out twice: once in wheat and once in chocolate and then put the chocolate pieces in the centers of the wheat lotus die cuts to replicate sunflowers.

Here are the supplies I used on this card:
Stamps: Our Daily Bread Designs Harvest Blessings
Ink: Memento
Paper: Memory Box Wheat, Papertrey Dark Chocolate, SU! Mellow Moss, Neenah white
Accessories: Spellbinders Lotus Blossom Borderability and Fancy Tags, Stickles, Gold Pearls, May Arts Ribbon

Thank you for visiting and I hope you enjoyed my project today. From here, hop over to the talented and sweet Angie to be inspired and blessed!

CAS Swans

Hello everyone! It's Sunday and time for another Stampin Sisters in Christ Challenge! I have either been away or had family here for almost the whole month of July and I've really had little time to create! So I really thank you my "faithful" friends who have faithfully stayed with me through this time of very little blog activity! Today's post is going to be short because I still have company and am just trying to post real quickly here... and I have another one to post in 2 hours.... so forgive me if the details are few today!

Today's hostess on Stampin Sisters in Christ is the talented and sweet Rebekkah! She has chosen Is. 40:31

But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength,

they shall mount up on wings like eagles,

they shall run and not be weary

they shall walk and not faint.

What a wonderful verse to cling to! I am so encouraged to think of being renewed in strength! We have the pleasure of occasionally seeing eagles soaring over our home here and it's always such a thrill to see! I can't see them without thinking of this verse!!!

Rebekkah's challenge this week is to create a card or project with birds on it.

This week's sponsor is Digi Doodle Shop and the prize is a $10.00 gift certificate to the shop. I used one of the wonderful images there for today's card. To be honest, I didn't think I was going to be able to create a card this week but this card start to finish was about 20 minutes! The new Cuttlebug Embossing Plus made the perfect background for this lovely swan image. I decided not to color it at all, but rather to just use the black and white theme for a super CAS design. My May Arts silk ribbon is my only embellishment and I think the image would be perfect for so many occasions, even a wedding or anniversary! I punched out a white liner for the inside where I will put my sentiment when I know what I need.

We'd love to have you play along... if you do, please place a link to the Stampin Sisters in Christ Blog in your post, and place a direct link to your project on the SSIC thread.

Be sure to check out the rest of the Design Team for more inspiration for this week's challenge!

We're so excited that Miesje, Cindy and Rebekkah will be staying on as Design Team Members!

Chris
Cindy
Linda
Randi
Peggysue
Lisa
Miesje
Rebekkah

Have a blessed week and I hope to see you back here at 8am today for the Aug 1 Release Blog Hop!