Bless you and Keep you

My second card for the Shining the Light challenge at Our Daily Bread Design is inspired by the fall arrangement in the picture below.  I love the soft background and fall colors.  I made mine with watercolors and embossed in gold a couple of leaves from it for my centerpiece.  A little twine with gold threading to hold the leaves together completed my card.  I hope you are enjoying fall!  Have you broken down and turn on the heat yet?  :)

Recipe:

Stamps:  ODBD All Occasion Sentiments and Autumn Blessings

Paper:  Watercolor and White

Dies:  ODBD Doily and Fall Leaves & Acorn Dies

Accessories:  Corner punch and twine

 And make sure you check out my fellow DT sisters for more wonderful inspiration:

  Chris Olsen, Linda Carson,  Elizabeth Whisson, 

Cheryl Scrivens, DJ Rants, and Robin Clendenning

To see all the creations in one place or join the challenge, click here.  You have until October 5, 2014 at 8:00pm EDT to join us. By participating in the challenge, you have a chance to be placed in a monthly drawing to win a $15 ODBD Gift Certificate good towards the purchase of stamps in the “stamps column” on the ODBD website, or to be spotlighted on the ODBD Blog at our next challenge. The random prize winner will be posted on the first challenge of each month.We would love to see your creations.

Trimming the Tree

A neighbor once told me she trimmed the trees with her kids at Christmas.  Not being a native here, I thought that was really weird.  If you're trimming the tree, won't it make a big mess? Why would you want to have your kids help you with cutting the branches?  And why would you want to trim it in the first place?  They have such a lovely shape naturally.  So that was when I learned that "trimming the tree" actually meant decorating the tree.  But I still rather do it without the kids because I'm like Monica from "Friends" when I decorate for Christmas! :)

So here is my first ornament of the year. I kept it very simple and clean because it's such a beautiful delicate die.  I die-cut my Memory Box Cabrini ornament once each from gold card stock, red card stock, and green card stock and four times from white card stock.  I stacked up the 4 white and then gold on top to make a thick outline.  The golden ornament was sponged with orange ink to give an illusion of a sphere and I used the negatives from the red and green stock for my holly branch. The thick outline really gives the card a feeling of depth and luxury in real life.  The branch is the Impression Obsession Pine branch which has been on my wish list for quite a while!  The double frame is made from nesting two Spellbinders A2 Matting Basics A and popped up with some small Joy! foam pads.  Lastly, I added some Star Dust stickles to my pine branch.  Thank you for looking and hope you can play along with our 52nd Challenge to use Christmas die cuts!

Recipe:

Dies:  Memory Box Cabrini ornament, Impression Obsession Pine branch, Spellbinders A2 Matting Basics A

Paper:  Red, Green, and Gold card stock

Challenges I am Playing in:

Simon Says Anything Goes

Letters

I love making cards (duh).  I also used to love writing letters.  But I've gotten pretty bad about it - email and facebook are so much faster and more convenient.  But my worst is the inability to put the card/letter in an envelope, address it, stick a stamp on it... and walk it to the mailbox.  I think there might be something wrong with me.  :)  

I usually make a card with someone in mind and have every intention of sending it to that person.  This one would work for so many! I extended the top flourish so that it looks like my feather is an old writing quill.  The feather was sponged in Going Grey and popped up with a little red heart.  I know the heart is not centered on the feather but it is along the vein - yeah, I struggled with where to put that heart! 

Recipe:  

Stamps: Quietfire Designs

Dies:  Spellbinders Shapeabilities Feathers

Accessories:  Heart punch, Micron Pigma Pen

Challenges I am Playing in:

Simon Says Anything Goes

CASology:  Flutter

Word Art Wednesday

P.S.  I should probably mass produce this!  So many friends I want to keep in touch with!

Caffeine!

Some days I wish this much coffee was effective...

Recipe:

Stamps:  Verve Better with You and Sip and Savor

Accessories:  Copics

Challenges I am Playing in:

Simon Says Anything Goes

Sand Dollar Bookmark

The temperature dropped very quickly here this week.  I'd like to stay snuggled in if it was possible.  But since that's not, can I hide in my craft room until the sun comes out for a bit?  The day is warm enough that we haven't turned on the heat - but it does make it hard to get out of bed in the morning!  :)

Here's a card to say farewell to summer and beaches.  I made a card with a vellum pocket and a removable bookmark.  The background was made by masking and sponging Versamark Cloud White.  Vellum is always a bit tricky to adhere - the sand dollar and ribbons hid my Scor-tape lines. Thanks for looking!

Recipe:

Stamps:  ODBD Ocean Treasures and Sand Dollar Bookmark

Ink:  Creamy Caramel, Almost Cocoa, and Versamark Cloud White

Accessories:  Vellum, ribbon, and twine

Challenges I am Playing in:

Simon Says Anything Goes

Word Art Wednesday

CCNS51: Thanks to the Lord

Hello, there!  I am still loving my Impression Obsession Little Small Leaf Set!  For this week's challenge at Classy Cards 'n Such to add warm and fall colors to our plaid, I started by embossing my background with a plaid design.  To make my leaves, I used watercolor paper and did a colorwash on them with some fall colors.  After it was dried, I swiped Tim Holtz Antique Bronze Distressed Stain over my dried paper to give the leaves a little extra shimmer.  Then I die cut them several times with my small leaf set and used some small Joy! foam pads to pop up a few leaves.  Finally,  I embossed my sentiment in black detail embossing powder and used Spellbinders A2 Matting Basics A to cut out my verse from ODBD Cherry Blossom stamp set.  I left it in the die to sponge around the corners to define the edges to my embossed panel which was also popped up.  I hope you get to play in the challenge this week!

Recipe:

Stamps: ODBD Cherry Blossom

Inks:  watercolors and  Tim Holtz Antique Bronze Distressed Stain

Dies: Impression Obsession Little Small Leaf Set, Spellbinders A2 Matting Basics A, Memory Box grove branch  

Accessories:   black detail embossing powder

Challenges I am playing in:

Word Art Wednesday

ODBDSLC214: I Wait for the Lord

One of my favorite things about fall are the glorious colors you see up here in Northern Virginia.  A few trees are turning but it should hit its full glory in about a month.  So my youngest and I have taken the colors outside and brought it in with our watercolors.  Then we tried a new (for us) technique where we placed cling wrap over our watercolor papers while they were still wet.  Such a neat effect!  Here I used one of the sheets trimmed down for my background and popped up a few asters on top.  For my bud, I simply folded the smallest aster in half.  Lastly, I embossed in black my Bible verse on vellum and sewed it onto my card.

Thank you for looking and hope you are inspired by one of our inspiration pictures at the Shining the Light challenge at Our Daily Bread Design!

Recipe:

Stamps:  ODBD Scripture Collection 9

Paper:  Watercolor and Vellum

Dies:  ODBD Aster Dies and Fancy Foliage Dies

Accessories:  Buttons, Twine

 And make sure you check out my fellow DT sisters for more wonderful inspiration:

  Chris Olsen, Linda Carson,  Elizabeth Whisson, 

Cheryl Scrivens, DJ Rants, and Robin Clendenning

To see all the creations in one place or join the challenge, click here.  You have until October 5, 2014 at 8:00pm EDT to join us. By participating in the challenge, you have a chance to be placed in a monthly drawing to win a $15 ODBD Gift Certificate good towards the purchase of stamps in the “stamps column” on the ODBD website, or to be spotlighted on the ODBD Blog at our next challenge. The random prize winner will be posted on the first challenge of each month.We would love to see your creations.

Challenges I am playing in:

WordArt Wednesday

FM178: We're in Stitches

Philippians 4:13

It's Monday already.  And sometimes Mondays call for a Philippians 4:13 kind of verse.  Hope you have a great week!

Oh, and I made the background by putting some ink of my craft sheet and also several dabs of Bronze distress paint, spritz liberally with water, and smoosh paper onto the craft sheet.  That's it! ;)

Recipe:  

Stamps: ODBD Scripture Collection 8

Inks:  Tim Holtz Seedless Preserves, Salty Ocean, Mowed Lawn, and Bronze distress paint

Accessories:  Corner punch, ribbon, and sequins

Challenges I am Playing in:

Simon Says Tag It

 Word Art Wednesday

Congratulations, Bev!

I made this card for sweet Beverly Bohannon, owner of Classy Cards 'n Such, for her retirement (from her non-crafting-enabling job - not CCNS!).  She is so encouraging and just a pleasure to work with and I am so thankful for the opportunity to be on her design team.   I thought this verse was perfect for her stage - I'm sure she has some wonderful plans!

Congratulations, Bev!

Recipe:

Stamps:  ODBD Scripture Collection 5

Dies:  MFT Lily Die-namics, Spellbinders A2 Matting Basics A, and Spellbinders Label Eighteen

Accessories:  Ribbon, Honeycomb embossing folder

Since the first one contains a Scripture, I'm linking it to this week's Word Art Wednesday Challenge.

Celebrate Your Day

I was enabling showing a friend the neat things you could do with Distress Inks and embossing.  I didn't have anything in mind on what I would do until I saw the sketch for Viva la Verve and a couple of other challenges that appeared on my blog reader this morning.  And all the stars aligned...  :)

I trimmed down my background sheet that I had clear embossed and sponged with Broken China and Seedless Preserves to make a tag.  I punched out two circles with the remaining scrap; added some faux stitching with my white gel pen, ribbon, twine and sequins to complete my card.  And there's a trio of trios  - 3 flowers, 3 circles, and 3 colors of sequins (white, purple, and black)!

Recipe:

Stamps:  Verve Poppy Birthday and Verve Let It Be

Inks:  Tim Holtz Broken China and Seedless Preserves

Paper:  Black and white card stock, watercolor paper, and vellum

Accessories: Circle punches, sequins, ribbon, clear embossing powder, white gel pen and twine

  

Challenges I am playing in:

Viva la Verve September 2014 Sketch Challenge

Verve Terrific Trios September Diva Dare

FM178: We're in Stitches

Simon Says Tag It

Have a great weekend!

I Peter 3:18

 Quick post today - cleaning house because a friend is coming over (always need an excuse to clean properly!) and I can't make a card because that guarantees a mess.  Also painting one of the boys' room also..then there's always laundry...   

I got a new set of calligraphy pens that are just incredible - Pilot Parallel Pens.  So affordable and just really great.  I'm a pen-fanatic.  LOVE my pens.  In order to practice with them (I can only write the alphabet so many times), I have incorporated them into my daily devotions.  I write my verse for the day in my sketchbook.  It's not perfect but it does slow me down and make me dwell on each word and decide which one jumps out at me.  I'd love to hear what works for you!

Hugs,

P.S.  Since the first one contains a Scripture, I'm linking it to this week's Word Art Wednesday Challenge.

CCNS50: Peace on Earth

Hi, again!  We moved a couple of years ago and I can't decide if I am pleased or annoyed by the sight of deers in the area behind our house.  They are lovely and magnificent creatures but they ate ALL of my tulips, most of the new growth on my new dogwood, my tomatoes, pansies...and they carry lyme disease bearing ticks... which pretty much puts them in the category of "Go away please."  Can you spot the 5 deers in the picture below?

But on to my card...

This was a lot of fun to make.  For my background, I mixed a little bit of Tim Holtz Broken China with my Dreamweaver's white embossing paste.  I started at the top of my Memory Box Garden Birch Trees stencil and spreaded the paste downward.  When I ran out of the colored paste, I used the unmixed white and started from the bottom and moved upwards.  Where they met, I just mixed them on the stencil.  You can't really see it but underneath the vellum, it is mostly white to mimic snow.  After the paste was dried, I trimmed down my background using Spellbinders A2 Matting Basics A.  I cut two sheets of vellum with a wavy top and wrapped that around my birch background.  I used stickles to edge the top of the vellum and embossed in silver detail my sentiment.  I then die-cut 8 Leaping Deers by Memory Box. Each deer is stacked 4 high; to make the doe, I cut off the antlers. Thanks so much for looking!

Recipe:

Stamps:  ODBD Christmas Mini Set

Dies:  Spellbinders A2 Matting Basics A  and Memory Box Leaping Deers

Accessories:  Dreamweaver's white embossing paste, silver detail embossing powder, Memory Box Garden Birch Trees stencil, and stickles

Zentangle plus Word Art

Quick post today sharing some Zentangles I did over the summer.  I decided to add a Scripture to one of my compass drawings.  I just thought Psalm 3:8 was suitable with a compass image!

Here's a couple more where I made really good use of my compass! : )

Thanks for looking!  Since the first one contains a Scripture, I'm linking it to this week's Word Art Wednesday Challenge.

ODBDSLC213 Week 2: In Stitches

For the Shining the Light challenge at Our Daily Bread Design to use stitches, I used real ones last week.  This week I am going for faux.  I used 4 layers for my centerpiece - the kraft was done by tracing the outline from the scallop die from the Recipe & Tag die set.  To do the faux stitching on the scallop and heart, I left the paper in the die and drew with a pen around the inside edges for a perfect stitched look (much easier than free handing it!)  I added an embossed vellum tag for a final touch.  

Recipe:

Stamps:  ODBD Ornate Border Sentiments

Dies:  ODBD Doily , Fancy Foliage, Recipe & Tag, and Ornate Hearts Dies

Paper:  ODBD Blushing Rose Paper Collection

Accessories:  Twine and corner punch

 And make sure you check out my fellow DT sisters- there are some serious seamstresses in that group:

  Chris Olsen, Linda Carson,  Elizabeth Whisson, 

Cheryl Scrivens, DJ Rants, and Robin Clendenning

To see all the creations in one place or join the challenge, click here.  You have until September 21, 2014 at 8:00pm EDT to join us. By participating in the challenge, you have a chance to be placed in a monthly drawing to win a $15 ODBD Gift Certificate good towards the purchase of stamps in the “stamps column” on the ODBD website, or to be spotlighted on the ODBD Blog at our next challenge. The random prize winner will be posted on the first challenge of each month.We would love to see your creations.

Challenges I am playing in:

WordArt Wednesday

Thankful for you

I've been stretching my wings a bit modifying my die-cuts lately.  Here I tried making a frame using ODBD Beautiful Borders.  I made the center by embossing with clear embossing powder the large doily image from Doily Blessings and using gelatos with baby wipes. I didn't realize how thick the frame would be so I have quite a bit of extra background to use for another card someday!

There is probably a better way to miter the corners but I placed them 90 degrees on top of each other and just cut diagonally.  I attached them to my background with 1/8" Score-tape.  For my embellishment, I die-cut several of the smallest doily die to anchor my organza ribbon. Thanks so much for looking and I hope you have a wonderful Sunday.

Recipe:
Stamps:  ODBD Doily Blessings

Dies:  ODBD Beautiful Borders and ODBD Doily

Accessories:  Gelatos, clear embossing powder, organza ribbon

Challenges I am playing in:

WordArt Wednesday

Simon Says Make Your Own Background