My Day of Rest and Worship

The Lord koweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations.

2 Peter 2:9

Windy Tree

This is the final card in the Graphic 45  September A Place in Time card set.  It is also my favorite one from the set.  Sometimes it's nice to make a card that is not a traditional shape.

Don't you just love that cute little tree?  It's the Windy Tree Die from Taylored Expressions.  It is definitely on my wishlist now.

This was such a fun class and I love all the new cards I have to send out to family and friends.

Until next time. . .happy creating! 

Autumn

Today's post is going to be a very short one but I wanted to share this clean and simple card with you.  With the start of the Fall season and the beginning color change of the trees, I pulled out a new Bo Bunny paper pad and punch out some fall colored labels.

Stamp Set:  A Season of Giving (Hero Arts); Inks:  Pumpkin Pie (Stampin' Up!), Tim Holtz Vintage Photo (Ranger); Card Stock:  Very Vanilla (Stampin' Up!), Autumn Song (Bo Bunny); Accessories & Tools:  Decorative Label Punch and 1/8" Calypso Coral Ribbon (Stampin' Up!), Clear Rhinestones, Pop Dots, Blending Tool, Big Shot Die-Cutting Machine

I love the colors of Fall.  As the season progresses, I'm hoping that we have some beautiful color in the trees.  With have had such a dry summer with so little rain, I'm not sure that is going to happen.

Until next time. . .happy creating!

A Simple Thanksgiving Pumpkin

You know, sometimes it feels like I'm been cleaning and sorting for years.  I know, it's only be a couple of months.  How does any one collect so much "stuff"?  When I was cleaning out my craft supply closet, I put all of my scraps in a box and every now and again, I'll pull out some colors and make a card like today's Thanksgiving card.  As a former Stampin' Up! demonstrator, I have a lot of retired card stock and designer series paper.  I love how the Cajun Craze and Not Quite Navy card stock along with the Well Worn Designer Series Paper look together.  I have been concentrating on making my Thanksgiving cards to send to family and friends.  Here's my latest.

Stamp Sets:  Pumpkin (Studio G), A Season of Giving (Hero Arts); Inks:  Cajun Craze (Stampin' Up!), Tim Holtz Distress Embossing Ink (Ranger); Card Stock:  Not Quite Navy, Cajun Craze and Well Worn Designer Series Paper (Stampin' Up!), Autumn Song Collection (Bo Bunny); Accessories & Tools:  Clear Embossing Powder (Stampin' Up!), White Doily (Bo Bunny), Pop Dots

I also added a sentiment to the inside of the card using the Cajun Craze card stock and clear embossed it as well.  I was going to add the rest of the doily but it looked rather odd, so I just left it off.  Although you can't see it, I stamped the pumpkin on the doily, then stamped it on some patterned paper, cut it out and used pop dots to attach it to the card.

A few more Thanksgiving cards and I can start in on those Christmas cards.  I have a few done but now that I've made my list, I have quite a few to go.

Until next time. . .happy creating!

Pinwheel & Polka Dots

The Timeless Tuesday Challenge - Build It With Dots over at Flourishes was not only interesting and fun, it was also something I have never done before.  It's a technique called Pointillism.  To learn more about it head over to the Flourishes blog where you'll find a few links that will explain the process to you.

Since I had not done this technique before, I decided to go with a smaller image.  The pinwheel from Flourishes Pinwheels and Popsicles Stamp Set was perfect.  Now that I've actually done this technique, I can say I will be using it again.  It gives a great look to your finished image.

Stamp Set:  Pinwheels and Popsicles (Flourishes); Ink:  Tuxedo Black (Memento); Card Stock:  Classic White (Flourishes), She Art (Christy Tomlinson), Happy Harvest (Doodlebug Design); Accessories & Tools:  Pinwheels and Popsicles Silhouette Cut File (Flourishes), Rhinestones, Pop Dots

It's a very clean and simple design but I love how the yellow polka dot paper makes the pinwheel pop!

Be sure to click on the image below to visit the Timeless Tuesday Challenge and check out the Pointillism technique.

Until next time. . .happy creating!

A Work in Progress

You may or may not know that I like to work with wallpaper.  I cover journals with it as well as use it for backgrounds and even cut out letters and images to turn into wall hangings or framed pieces.  A few months ago, a friend found a whole box of wallpaper and gave it to me.  It had several rolls of a white embossed paper that is called paintable wallpaper.  My eyes lit up at that one.  I've been working on a wall hanging for Autumn in my spare time.  It has kind of taken a back seat lately but I did get the bow made for it.

When I was going through my box of ribbon, I came across this beautiful wired edge ribbon that shows off some gorgeous Fall colors.  The bow you see below is what I have so far.  I'm sure it won't look like this on the finished project but I wanted to show you the pretty ribbon.  In the background you will see the wallpaper I mentioned.  My next step is to paint it, now that I have my all the paints I want to use.  I can't wait to see how the paint and paper like each other.

Aren't those colors beautiful.  Autumn is the only time I really use a lot of oranges and browns.  It definitely takes me away from my normal palette of blues.

Until next time. . .happy creating!

Daydreaming at My Desk

Graphic 45 papers are wonderful.  You can get them in 12x12 paper pads or 8x8 paper pads.  They lends themselves beautifully to a vintage look.  If you haven't seen their new Christmas paper, The Twelve Days of Christmas, be sure to visit their blog.  I fell in love with it the minute I saw it.  But, for now, back to another card from the September A Place in Time card class.

I loved this image of the student leaning on his book daydreaming.  What do you suppose he is thinking about?  I think it made a great Thinking of You card.

Until next time. . .happy creating!

My Day of Rest and Worship

For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted.

Hebrews 2:18

Moonlight in the Trees

The other day I picked up a new embossing folder that I knew would work well with Core'dinations card stock.  It's called Birch Trees and it's from Tim Holtz.  I used it to play along with this week's Flourishes Timeless Tuesday Challenge - Let it Shine.  The challenge was to incorporate a light source in the card.

After embossing and sanding, I punched a hole in the card front and set the golden moon with a pop dot on the inside of the card.  The sanding looks like moonlight bouncing off the birch trees.  I love that sentiment from the Botanical Bookplates stamp set.

Stamp Set:  Botanical Bookplates Vol. 1 (Flourishes); Ink:  Cajun Craze (Stampin' Up!); Card Stock:  Cajun Craze, Very Vanilla and Early Espresso Core'dinations (Stampin' Up!), Burlap Paper (DCWV); Accessories & Tools:  Modern Label Punch and 1" Circle Punch (Stampin' Up!), Standard Circles Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Tim Holtz Alterations Birch Trees Texture Fades Embossing Folder (Sizzix), Clear Rhinestones (Hampton Art), Big Shot Die Cutting Machine (Sizzix), Pop Dots

Click on the image below to head over to the Flourishes blog and see some of the other beautiful designs that have been submitted.

Until next time. . .happy creating!

Autumn Time

How many of you loved to swing?  As a girl, our neighbor had a bag swing in a tree that had grown up over a hill.  It was so much fun to grab the rope and swing out over that hill.  It was almost like flying!  This little girl swinging as her puppy rolls in the grass, made me think of all the fun we had taking turns swinging out over that hill.

There is a whole page of cutouts in each Graphic 45 paper pad.  I think this is the second favorite card we made.  As you can see, it is an easel card.  I love making easel cards.  It gives such a different look to your card.

Until next time. . .happy creating!

Fall Colors

Stamps, dies, ink and paper.  What more do you need to keep yourself busy for hours?  It's amazing how time flies when I'm crafting and creating.  For me, it's like therapy.  I get lost in the whole design process and before I know it an afternoon or evening is gone.  It's a great stress reliever!

Stamp Sets:  Wallpaper and Wood (Tim Holtz Collection - Stampers Anonymous), Fall Colors (Unknown); Inks:  Fired Brick, Ages Mahogany, Frayed Burlap, Crushed Olive, Black Soot (Tim Holtz Distress Inks - Ranger); Card Stock:  Classic White (Flourishes), Happy Harvest 6x6 Paper Pad (Doodlebug); Accessories & Tools:  Tim Holtz Autumn Gatherings Strip Die (Sizzix), Early Espresso Baker's Twine (Stampin' Up!)

I even added a couple of fallen leaves to the inside of the card.  I think instead of the Black Soot for the sentiment, the Fired Brick would have been so much better.  Hmm, I may just have to stamp it on white, punch it out and add it over the top.

Until next time. . .happy creating!

September Leaves

Autumn is my favorite time of the year.  I love the cool, crisp air and the beautiful colors of the trees.  The holiday season is approaching and it heralds in special times spent with family and friends.  Here is the third card I made in the Graphic 45 September A Place in Time card class.

The cards in this year long series have been so much fun to put together.  At class I saw the cards for the next three classes and I can hardly wait until class time.  Janet designs wonderful cards.

Until next time. . .happy creating!

Beautiful Butterflies

When I saw the current sketch on the CAS(E) this Sketch blog, I totally fell in love with it.  One of my favorite type of cards to make are clean and simple.  It also gave me a chance to use one of my Hero Arts stamp sets with a pretty flourish. 

Stamp Set:  Dot Flourish (Hero Arts); Ink:  Tim Holtz Distress Dusty Concord (Ranger); Card Stock:  Elegant Eggplant and Whisper White (Stampin' Up!); Accessories & Tools:  Beautiful Wings Embosslit and Pearl Basic Jewels (Stampin' Up!)

The Elegant Eggplant card stock doesn't show up well in this photo.  No matter what I did, it just wouldn't get a good image.

Here is the sketch from CAS(E) this Sketch.  You can click on the image to go right over to their blog and see all the beautiful projects that have been made.

Until next time. . .happy creating!

Trick or Treat Trio

Over the weekend Archiver's, the place where I work, had a cute little 3x3 Make & Take card you could make for free.  The stamp set used, Trick or Treat, is from Lawn Fawn.  I rarely buy any type of Halloween type stamp sets but this one, with the candy corn, was just too cute to pass up.  I brought it home and made these three cards in just a few minutes.  They are destined to go to my grandchildren but I do need to make three more.  I haven't decided what I'm going to add to the inside but it will be some little treat.

The cards made in the store used a Scallop Circle Punch and a Circle Punch.  Since I didn't have the Circle Punch, I used my Spellbinders Nestabilities Small Octagons Die.

Until next time. . .happy creating!

Festive Friday Navy, White and Silver Color Challenge

When it comes to blue, I'll follow anywhere...well almost.  I love blue.  When I saw that Festive Friday was having a Navy, White and Silver Color Challenge, I knew I had to play along.  It's been a while since I last used my Snowflake die so it was fun to pull it out and make a double layered snowflake out of blue and silver glitter paper.  It's the kind of glitter paper that does not shed!  It makes using your dies so much easier.

For the inside of the card, I added a bit of color.  I originally planned to stamp the candles in blue and just leave them as an outline but just couldn't resist getting out those Copics.




I added a strip of the silver glitter paper to the bottom of the inside layer and I added Silver Sparkle Dazzling Details and Dazzling Details to two of the candles to give them a wee bit of a sparkle.  There is still plenty of room to write a little note if you choose to do so.

Stamp Sets:  Christmas Candles and Cowboy Christmas (Flourishes); Inks:  Night of Navy (Stampin' Up!), Tuxedo Black (Memento); Copics:  Y11, YR07, R22, R24, R27, YG11, YG13, YG17, E33, E37; Card Stock:  Night of Navy (Stampin' Up!), Classic White (Flourishes), Powder Mountain (Bo Bunny), Glitzy Glitter (DCWV); Accessories & Tools:  Snow Flurry Bigz Die (Stampin' Up!), Snowflake Brad, Dazzling Details and Silver Sparkle Dazzling Details (Stampin' Up!), Pop Dots, Big Shot Die-Cutting Machine

Be sure to check out the Festive Friday Color Challenge.  Click on the image below and it will take you right to all the details.

I love the colors and really enjoyed making some snowflakes.  Now that the 90 and 100 degree temperatures have gone and it is only 74 degrees, it is a gentle reminder that cooler weather is fast approaching.

Until next time. . .happy creating!

My Day of Rest and Worship

If two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.

Matthew 18:19

Tag It!

The other day I found a recipe for Homemade Seasoned Salt and thought it would make a great Christmas gift for my family and friends this year.  I can use all organic ingredients and I know that will make them very happy.  Now I'm on the lookout for some pretty jars to fill.  I also need tags for each jar so I've been playing around to see how I want to make them.  The following tag is my first endeavor.  I like it but I know I want to use Christmas colors and stamp sets for the gift tags.  I'm thinking green, red and white.  I think the sentiment I used from Flourishes Italian Garden set works well for the tags.  Anyway, here is my tag.

Stamp Set:  Italian Garden (Flourishes), Everything Eleanor (Stampin' Up!), Flowers (Autumn Leaves); Inks:  Tim Holtz Distress Inks - Vintage Photo, Frayed Burlap, Fired Brick (Ranger); Card Stock:  Inkssentials Manilla Tag (Ranger), Feels Like Home Paper (Little Yellow Bicycle); Accessories & Tools:  Tim Holtz Gem Clip, Key, 1/8" Vanilla Ribbon, Silver Eyelet, Crop-A-Dile

The back of the tag is covered with the same paper used to make the banner.  I just couldn't leave the back unfinished.

Until next time. . .happy creating!

A Graphic 45 School House

Since the theme for the card class was about school or Autumn, I thought this little school house was a cute addition to this card.  So many of our friendships began during those school days.  While I didn't spend any time in a one room school, I remember my grandmother and mom talking about it.  The sentiment inside the card reads as follows:

As long as we have memories,

yesterday remains.

As long as we have hope,

tomorrow awaits.

As long as we have friendship,

today is beautiful.

The colors from A Place in Time from Graphic 45 are wonderful and so reminiscent of Fall.  The remind me of the cool, crisp days that will soon be upon us. 

Until next time. . .happy creating!

I Should Have Stayed in Bed All The Day Long!

You know, there are just some days that it would be nice to do a rewind and start them over.  Today happens to be one of those for me.  Being the optimist that I am, I know I shall overcome.  In the meantime, while I wait for the overcoming to happen, I'm hiding.  :-)

Until next time. . .happy creating!

A Christmas Candle and Snowflakes

Today was just like Christmas for me.  When I get home from work, I always run up and grab my mail.  I had a package from Flourishes full of goodies that I won when my card was selected in a recent Designer Focus.  What I wasn't expecting were two new stamp sets among the goodies, Christmas Candles and Italian Garden.  I just had to use one for the current Timeless Tuesday Challenge.  The challenge was to incorporate dry embossing somewhere on your project.  Click on the image below to check out the all the details for the current challenge.

And here is the card I made for the challenge.  I used one of my favorite Tim Holtz embossing folders, Snow Flurries.  The snowflakes are so pretty and realistic.  Rather than add a sentiment to the front, I decided to put it on the inside of the card.

Stamp Set:  Christmas Candles (Flourishes); Ink:  Cherry Cobbler (Stampin' Up!); Card Stock:  Classic White (Flourishes), Cherry Cobbler (Stampin' Up!), Vintage Christmas Designer Paper (My Mind's Eye); Accessories & Tools:  Tim Holtz Snow Flurries Embossing Folder (Sizzix), 3/8" White Organza Ribbon, Rhinestones, Big Shot Die-Cutting Machine

There you have it.  Tomorrow I'll have another of the Graphic 45 cards I made in class the other night.

Until next time. . .happy creating!

A New Graphic 45 A Place in Time Card

Today was class night at Memory Bound for the September Graphic 45 Card Set.  Janet, our instructor, came up with more beautiful designs.  She makes it so easy to be creative.  It was so much fun!  Where else can you make fantastic cards and get rewarded with chocolate?  We all had a great time and came away with six new cards to send to family and friends.

With school back in session and Autumn just around the corner, these cards are perfect for the time of year.  I wasn't able to get a group picture, so over the next several days I'll showcase each card.  I'm already looking forward to next month's class.

Until next time. . .happy creating!

Get in Shape - September Release Challenge

Flourishes is gearing up for another release and this month's release challenge is to create a Shaped Card or 3D Item.  To play along, click the image below to go right to the Flourishes blog for all of the details.

I love making non-traditional cards so I brought out Pumpkin Jack.  Thanksgiving is an often forgotten holiday but it and Christmas are my two favorites.  I remember all of the delicious smells coming from the kitchen and the beautiful table my mother used to set the those holidays.  The house was always full and it was a time to be thankful for all we had.  Here is the simple Thanksgiving card I made for this challenge.

Stamp Sets: Anemones (Flourishes), Thanksgiving Sentiments (Unknown); Inks:  Tuxedo Black (Memento), Tim Holtz Vintage Photo (Ranger); Card Stock:  Pumpkin Pie and Always Artichoke (Stampin' Up!), Classic White (Flourishes); Accessories & Tools:  Anemones Silhouette Cut File, Essentials Paper Piercing Pack (Stampin' Up!), 3/8" Lime Ribbon, Tim Holtz Pumpkin Jack Die (Sizzix), Big Shot Die-Cutting Machine

Until next time. . .happy creating!

My Day of Rest and Worship

He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.

Psalm 126:6

Ribboned Happy Birthday

Today found me up at the early hour of 4 a.m.  Considering I didn't get to bed until after midnight, that just wasn't enough sleep.  Since I couldn't get back to sleep, I got up and made a card.  Isn't that what you do when you can't sleep?

There were several challenges this week that I wanted to participate in and it worked out that this card fit the bill for them.  I love how that works out sometimes.  I'm going to keep this short as I have a few photos to add to the post.  First, is the Timeless Tuesday Double The Ribbon Challenge over at Flourishes.  The challenge was to use two kinds of ribbon.  I used a wide ribbon and a narrow ribbon.  Here's how I used them.

Stamp Sets:  Delightful Dozen and God's Blessings (Stampin' Up!); Inks:  Night of Navy (Stampin' Up!); Card Stock:  Not Quite Navy, Pool Party and Whisper White (Stampin' Up!), ADORBS Patterned Paper (My Mind's Eye); Accessories & Tools:  Small Octagons Nestabilities (Spellbinders), 1-1/4" Not Quite Navy Striped Grosgrain Ribbon and Corner Rounder Punch (Stampin' Up!), 1/8" Vanilla Ribbon (Offray), Big Shot Die-Cutting Machine

Taylored Expressions is turning five this week, so I've been playing along with all of the fun challenges and games they've been doing.  This one was to play Tic Tac Toe which is why you see , rhinestones, happy birthday and ribbon.  I'll be posting this to the Splitcoaststampers Gallery.  Click on the image below to head over to the Taylored Expressions blog and see all that's happening to celebrate their birthday.

A relatively new challenge for me is the one at Seize the Birthday.  All you do is make and post a birthday card.  Since I always seem to need birthday cards, this gives me the opportunity to stay on top of those cards I need to make and send.  Click on the image below to head over and see all the great projects.

Here is the wonderful sketch I used for my card.  Click on the image below to head over to the Freshly Made Sketches blog.  I love the clean and simple look of their sketches.  This, too, is new to me.

Whew!  A much longer post than normal but it was such fun to find all of these great challenges.  Now I'm off to find a new challenge to join.

Until next time. . .happy creating!

CASEing Allison

It's CASE time again at Flourishes.  While I didn't have all of the cool things Ally used in her card, I improvised with those that I had.  The colors and basic layout are all from Ally's project but I did change the orientation of the card since I used the Anemones stamp set and it is a tall one.  To see more of her beautiful designs, click HERE and head over to the Flourishes blog.

Stamp Set:  Anemones (Flourishes); Ink:  Tuxedo Black (Memento); Copic:  Y11, Y13, Y15, Y17, Y19, YG11, YG13, YG17, E37; Card Stock:  Classic White (Flourishes), Signature Collection Gingham (Creative Imaginations); Accessories & Tools:  Anemones Silhouette Cut File (Flourishes), Corner Rounder Punch, Eyelet Border Punch, Scallop Oval Punch and Snowburst Embossing Folder (Stampin' Up!), Rhinestones,  Stampin' Dimensionals (Stampin' Up!)

Now here is Ally's card that was my inspiration.  I love her strawberries.

Now I'm off to finish up some more challenge projects.  I love participating in challenges as they keep me creating and provide such wonderful inspiration.

Until next time. . .happy creating!

Roses and Gingham

Feeling adventurous, I combined some colors that I normally wouldn't think to put together.  The gingham paper from Creative Imaginations Gingham Signature Collection goes so well with the roses from the Lucille patterned paper from Basic Grey.  Add Calypso Coral and Pool Party from Stampin' Up! and it makes for a very pretty card.  Well, at least I think so.  It also gave me a chance to use the new tag die I got the other day.

Stamp Set:  Anemones (Flourishes); Ink:  Calypso Coral (Stampin' Up!); Card Stock:  Calypso Coral and Very Vanilla (Stampin' Up!), Lucille Patterned Paper (Basic Grey), Gingham Signature Collection (Creative Imaginations); Accessories & Tools:  Tags, Scallop Combo #2 (Sizzix), Silver Eyelet, White Twine brushed with Tim Holtz Vintage Photo (Ranger), Silver Rhinestones, Crop-A-Dile, Big Shot Die-Cutting Machine

Until next time. . . happy creating!

My Day of Rest and Worship

Cast thy burden upon the Lord and he shall sustain thee:  he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

Psalm 55:22