Let me Rest in the shelter of the Cross!

Hello friends!  I hope you are doing well!

Today I have a sneak peek for you at some fabulous new stamps and dies coming your way from Our Daily Bread designs on April 1st!  For this card, I used a set called The Cross, Flourish Label Borders, and Ornament Cross Dies, as well as Vintage Floral Pattern Dies.  Oh.... can you say LOVE???  You will love these sets and gorgeous dies!   The Vintage Floral Pattern Die set includes this beautiful white die cut background as well as several labels/sentiment dies.  The sentiment above is one of several I submitted to the set, and is also stamped with the Flourish Label Border stamps.  The paper is also a new release, and is called Christian Faith Paper Collection.  I die cut the cross and matted it on one of the labels from the Vintage Floral Pattern Dies.  I popped it up on dimensionals and added 3 sequins as well as a lily.

 I know when we use sequins we usually scatter them randomly, but I had a purpose in where I placed them this time.  You see, there is a hole in the center of each sequin, and you would either pierce a needle through the hole to sew it on, or you might  add a brad to hold it on.  This reminded me of the nails that pierced our Savior's hands and feet on that sad day that He was put to death.  There was nothing pretty about the cross He died on... and I don't for a minute want to portray that... however, as believers we know that He did not stay on that cross, and He did not stay in the tomb they buried Him in.  Three days later, He arose from the dead, conquering death once and for all for all those who would believe and receive Him as their one and only way to be redeemed and forgiven!  We can celebrate with joy and beauty this most sacred of seasons, because He lives, and we too can live eternally in a place far better than our human minds could ever conceive of,  if we know Him! So I simply ask... do YOU know Him?  Are you looking forward to the day you'll meet Him face to face and thank Him for all He has done for you?  This is the God of the universe, The Creator of all things, The One who sustains all things we're talking about!!!  Does that not blow your minds?  That One so great would be willing to die for me so that I could be forgiven of the sin I could never pay for myself... I can hardly conceive it, yet by faith I believe it!  So... this is why I  submitted this sentiment.  Let me REST in the shadow of the cross!  Because He died, I am forgiven... because He lives, I too can live!  I don't have to strive and worry, nor do I need to fear death... I can REST!  Thank you Lord Jesus!

I am entering this in the final ODBD 6th Anniversary Celebration, with the Shining the Light Challenge,  to have fun with your ODBD stamps and Dies!   I am also entering it in this week's Word Art Wednesday, which is always anything goes with either the free digi given there, or any Scripture or encouraging sentiment!

If you've read this far... thank you!  May YOU Rest in the shadow of the cross!

Blessings,

A Quote and a Legacy!

Hello friends!  I hope you are all well!

 I have another cards to share with you today that I made with the special 6th Anniversary sets at Our Daily Bread Designs!  This card is made with a quote by Jim Elliot, and is in the Quote Collection 4 set.    I don't know if you know who Jim Elliot was, but he was was an evangelical Christian who was one of five missionaries killed while participating in Operation Auca, an attempt to evangelize the Huaorani people of Ecuador.  He was only 28 years old when he was killed by the Huaorani Indians, but the story of his life, and the lives of the  people who killed him after his death will be a real blessing if you ever have time to read his story or watch the movie. Jim's wife Elisabeth Elliot wrote a couple of books about his life and death, the most notable of which is Through Gates of Splendor.  A documentary based on the story was also made, called Beyond the Gates of Splendor.  Another movie I have seen and highly recommend, called End of the Spear, is based on the story of the pilot of the group of missionaries, who also was killed at the same time, Nate Saint, and the return trip of Nate's son attempting to reach the natives of Ecuador. I marvel that some of the family members of those five missionaries including Elisabeth Elliot, did go back to the same place and ministered to and lived among the very people who killed their loved ones!    
 
Jim's journal entry for October 28, 1949, expressed his belief that work dedicated to Jesus was far more important than his life (see Luke 9:24 in the Bible). "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose."  Given that dedication to God, the above quote takes on even more meaning in my opinion!  Can we even imagine what's God's best is?  For Jim... for the Huaorani Indians... for the families... God is so much bigger than we can begin to understand!  We see his death at such a young age and wonder "why".  God... sees the bigger picture and had an incredible plan to save many!!!

Besides the ODBD Quote Collection 4, I used the ODBD Elegant Oval dies and Fancy Foliage Die.  The base is ivory, and the designer paper is a Kirby Teesdale Pack by Paper Studio (Hobby Lobby).  I used a variety of flowers, May Arts silk ribbon, snips of lace from my stash, and lots of sponge distressing for a vintage feel.

I am linking this to the ODBD Shining the Light Challenge for this week and next... to have fun with ODBD stamps!  I am also sharing it with Word Art Wednesday, which is anything goes with a Scripture or uplifting sentiment.

Before I go, I want to remind you that you have one more day to take advantage of the special Easter Sale goingon at ODBD!

 Through Saturday, March 29, 2014 11:00PM EDT, you can SAVE 20% on all ODBD Easter Stamp Sets and Singles!*  when you enter code EASTER20 at checkout. (Sorry, no rainchecks, retail customers only)

Click here to visit the website.

Thank you so much for stopping by,looking at my card, and for reading my thoughts today!

Blessings,  

Celebrate Life!

Hello friends!  I have one more quick card to share using the special release of the ODBD 6th Anniversary  Sets!  This card uses a sentiment from Sentiment Collection 3.  I also used the Blooming Garden Paper Collection, the ODBD Recipe Card and Tags Die, and the Decorative Corners Dies.  I used an embossing folder to emboss the outer frame, and I scored the inner frame.  A pretty soft sheer ribbon and gold cord tied simply in the center keep this card flat and mailable, which is always a good thing!   I hope you have enjoyed all the samples with these special Anniversary sets!  I know you won't want to miss the April 1st release so until then....Thanks so much for looking! 

Blessings,

Lilacs, Mercy and Rest!

Hello friends!!!

I hope you are all well!  I have two more cards to share with you using the 6th Anniversary sets from Our Daily Bread designs.  For the card above, I used a sentiment from Sentiment Collection 3 and the Lilac Single. I also used some pretty designer paper from the Blooming Garden Paper Collection. I cut the sentiment out with the Recipe Card and Tags Die set, and I used a Spellbinders Curved Borders die for the edges and center panel.  I colored the lilacs with Copics and hand cut them.  I stamped the Hummingbird Single and colored it with Copics, and cut it with the Custom Hummingbird Die.  So quick and easy!  The embossing is a Cuttlebug folder and I used some purple seam binding, gold thread and purple bling.  

For my second card, I used Quote Collection 4, stamped with Memento ink, cut it out with a Spellbinders Label 28 and Decorative Label 28, and I matted that with this month's release, Daisy Chain Die.  I popped that up on dimensionals over some pretty designer paper from the  Blooming Garden Collection. My only embellishments are silver pearls and thin blue sheer ribbon.  

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I really love hearing from you and knowing you were here!!!

I am entering this in this week's Shining the Light Challenge, as we continue to celebrate the 6th Anniversary of ODBD!  Let's see your favorites from ODBD!  I most appreciate more than anything else the Scriptures and God focused sentiments that ODBD produces, so I shared a couple of them.  We'd love to have you play along!

Today's Blessing:

Eph. 4:2

Be completely humble and gentle; bearing with one another in love.

Pleasant Words and a look back!

 

Hello friends!  Today we on the Design Team are taking a look back at the Our Daily Bread designs  March release.  I have created something pretty different for you today!  I used  a technique found on SCS.

It's called Serendipity Squares Technique and I really enjoyed it!  It is a little time consuming, but so worth it!  You begin with a base card stock, and several scraps of designer paper that coordinate with each other.  You tear them in to pieces.  I played around a little bit with the sizes to tear the papers.  In the photo below I had torn them to about 1" but I ended up tearing them again, so about 1/2" is what seemed to work the best for me. 

Once you have your scraps torn, you glue them to your card stock.  I used Tombow Multi glue.  A glue stick would also work here.  You overlap the edges and cover the entire paper.  In addition to the original instructions, I sponged the edges of my papers if any white torn edges showed, using distress inks.  Once covered, you trim your paper to remove any jagged edges  of scraps, and then you begin stamping various images on the paper. I stamped the Bee Balm image, and I also stamped the Honey Comb Mini with VersaMark and embossed in gold.  Next, you cut your paper into whatever shapes you want for your card background. This is the step where the "serendipity" really happens! As you cut them apart and regroup them together, the shapes and patterns of your stamped images and embossing really catch your eye. For this card,  I just used three strips and mounted on white card stock.  I loved the look of this paper background so much I didn't want to cover it up... so, I decided to try some acetate over top of it!

 I stamped a piece of acetate with Versamark, stamped my sentiment from the Be Happy set, and heat embossed with gold.  I did the same with the Hummingbird, and with the Bee Balm image.  I hand cut the bee balm and used the ODBD Custom Hummingbird Die to cut the hummingbird.  I cut a Spellbinders Decorative Labels 28 from white card stock, adhered the sentiment acetate layer to the back of that frame and mounted it on my background with foam strips.  I then adhered the flower and the hummingbird on the front of the frame.  I love how the background looks peeking through the acetate.  It WAS hard to get a photo of it, so it does not really show you how pretty it is, but in real life, I absolutely love how this came out.  I'm so glad I played with that technique because it's definitely one I'll use again, AND it's a great way to use up scraps!

EDITED to add:  I was asked about tips on embossing on acetate.  I did not buy any specially heave acetate to do this, but I did preheat the gun and then I heated from the back side I did not have any trouble with the acetate curling or melting.  The only time I have had that happen was when I tried using packaging acetate from a box.  I had thought since it was so heavy it would be fine but it curled.  This is just regular card type acetate.  I don't have a name on it or I'd share that but I don't.  I hope this helps!

Card Recipe:

Stamps:  Hummingbird, Bee Balm, Be Happy, Honeycomb Mini

Dies: ODBD Custom Hummingbird Die, Spellbinders Decorative Labels 28

Paper:  Neenah Solar White CS, Scraps of designer paper for background

Ink: Distress Inks

Accessories: May Arts Silk Ribbon, Pearls, Gold Embossing Powder

I hope you'll give it a try, and if you do, let me know so I can come see it!

Here are the products I used for this project:

 

To see more inspiration, please visit the ODBD Blog, and

be sure to check out my DT sisters creations:

Chris * Grace * Sandee * Stacy * Julie * Dawn * Sabrina * Cathy * Lori * Wanda

God of all Comfort!

Hello friends!  I'm so happy to see the sun today!!!  I hope it finds you well and praising God!  To give you a Scripture that will give you reason to praise Him,  I thought I'd share another sample I made this morning for a challenge over on SCS.  The challenge was to use buttons.  I have a ton of them but seldom think to use them, so this was fun for me!

The Scripture I used today is from the newly released ODBD Anniversary sets, and this one is in Scripture Collection 13.  I love the reminder that our God is a God of compassion, and the God of all comfort!!!

I created the soft floral background for my verse by stamping the floral image from the Mom set in VersaMark and then lightly sponging on pastel chalk over top.  The VersaMark grabs the color of the chalk and the rest brushes away.  I love this technique on sentiment panels when they look a little plain otherwise.  I cut the panel with Spellbinders labels 22 and matted with SB Decorative Labels 22.  I embossed the honeycomb panel with a Darice folder and the base is Baja Breeze with My Mind's Eye designer paper from the Meadow pack.  I added lace and 2 stacked buttons for embellishment.  It was very quick to create but I so love the message of this verse!!!

Have a wonderful day!!!  Thanks so much for stopping by and for your sweet comments!

Hugs,
 

I stamped the Scripture

Peace I leave with you!

Hello friends!  I hope you are doing well!

Today I have a card to share with your that I made using the new ODBD 6th Anniversary set, Scripture Collection 13.  I love the verses in this set and I know I will use them often!  I used this wonderful verse from John 14:27, stamping with Brown ink on Neenah Solar White card stock, and cutting out the panel with the larger of the tags in the ODBD Custom Recipe Card and Tags Die set.  I cut the white matting layers with Spellbinders Nobel Rectangles, and backed them with a piece of designer paper from the new ODBD Blooming Garden Paper Collection.  I decorated the card with some hand made flowers (a gift from my sweet friend Pat)  and flourish and leaves from the ODBD Fancy Foliage Die set.  It may not look it, but it is a very simple card to layout out and construct.  Most of the layers are popped up on dimensionals.  That allows the better peek at the pretty designer paper and gives depth.
 

I hope you are enjoying these Anniversary sets as much as we on the DT are!  I have more to share so check back often!

Today's Blessing:

Rev. 22:13

"I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End."

Thanks so much for stopping by, and for your sweet comments!  They mean more than you know!!!

Hugs,