Christmas Holly: Eccl. 3: parts of 1-8

Happy Sunday! Welcome to another challenge from Stampin' Sisters in Christ! I hope that this day finds you well and safe and happy and thanking God for all of the Blessings - both large and small!

This week Sweet Sandie is the challenge hostess and the verse she chose is from Eccl. 3: parts of 1-8. These verses are all about time. I encourage you to read or re-read these verses, they apply to all of us on every different levels. 

I thought that when we reached our 60s that we would have more time to do things for us - fun things - relaxing things. I thought that we would not worry about our children as much anymore. I thought we would be carefree after raising our 8 children and seeing them all into adulthood safely. WRONG! That is not what is happening in our life. We seem to be busier then ever and worrying (well, I am the worrier) as much as when we had teenagers. Perhaps the easy and relaxing doesn't come in this life. Or perhaps I need to let go and let God realizing that there is an appointed time for everything under the Heavens. 

I chose to download a calendar image and printed it out. The sentiment and image are from GKD. A simple bow and some bling. I have another Christmas card ready to go! Woo Hoo!

The challenge this week is to: use clocks/watches, calendars, sundials, etc. OR black and white only (to represent night and day).

Our sponsor this week is Inspired Stamps offering a $15 gift card.

Don't forget to stop by my SSIC design sisters (listed on the sidebar) to see what they have to share this week.

It is always great to see you, thanks for the comments and have a wonderful week surrounded with God's love.

Recipe: 

Stamps: GKD - Blessed is the Season (sentiment) and Merry Little Christmas (image)

Designer Paper: GKD - Merry Little Christmas

Other: ribbon, bling

Challenges: 




 

CSS Sketch Blog Hop - 10/22/12

It is another StampTV blog hop and these are my favorites. I love sketch challenges and this one was a lot of fun.

You should have arrived from the fabulous blog of Melissa Shultz with what I am sure was a wonderful project!

The first card I made I decided to build up my Christmas card collection and the new stamp set from Theresa called Joyful Holiday fit the sketch perfectly. The sentiment is from Seasonal Labels. I did some fussy cutting with this and enjoyed that and the coloring. I even dug out my chalks and chalked the pine branches lightly. I used the GKD PL white and lipstick red.

The second card was very simple but a card I needed to make for my FIL's 90th birthday this upcoming weekend. I think he will like it. The sentiment is from Birthday Greetings. I used GKD PL kraft, white and black. This card also qualifies for the release party challenge "What's the Word". 

Now hop on over to visit Sue VanDeVusse, for some more fabulous eye candy. If you want to start at the beginning or get lost along the way, just jump directly to the links for all of the wonderful creations on StampTV.

Make sure to leave a comment as you hop along because on Tuesday morning (October 30), we will randomly choose one of the comments from all the blogs and that person will receive a huge grab bag of fabulous Gina K. Designs Stamps!

Thanks for stopping by!

Peaceful Fall: John 16:33

Welcome Sunday has rolled around which means that Stampin' Sisters in Christ  has another challenge based on scripture for you! This week I went with a Fall theme. I love the colors of fall.

This week Peggysue is the challenge hostess and the verse I chose is John 16:33. 

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

The challenge this week is to Make a card that to you represents peace or calm; with an image, color scheme, CAS layout or verse, something that speaks peace to you, but peace symbols themselves are excluded. The card has to speak peace through your own style..

For me using these colors is peaceful as is the fence with the sunflowers. Fall is when things slow down a bit, the windows are opened, the smell of fresh air - ah - that is peace to me. 

Our sponsor this week is Daydream Designs.

Don't forget to stop by my SSIC design sisters (listed on the sidebar) to see what they have to share this week.

It is always great to see you, thanks for the comments and have a wonderful week surrounded with God's love.

Recipe: 

Stamps: Daydream Designs Pumpkin Patch and God's Bountiful Love

Designer Paper: Pumpkin, Black, White

Other: ribbon, Spellbinder Dies, Cuttlebug Folder

Challenges: 




  

Peace: Psalm 52:10

Another Sunday has rolled around which means that Stampin' Sisters in Christ  has another challenge based on scripture for you! Another Christmas card this week, see I am getting a head start.

This week it is my turn to be the challenge hostess for is this week and the verse I chose is Psalm 52:10. 

"But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God's unfailing love for ever and ever."

Trusting in God’s unfailing love for ever and ever is not as easy to do as it is to say and I do say, “I trust in God” with confidence – often! I tell others to trust in God all the time and I mean it too. Or do I? I have to say mostly yes because if I do truly trust in God’s unfailing love then why do I worry so much, especially about my adult children? I worried when they were little I worried when they were teen-agers, a lot, and now that they are all grown and live on their own I still worry about them. Some more than others but worry I do about their relationships and some with money and some with their jobs and the grandchildren, but mostly about their spiritual life.

My husband and I always went and go to church. It has always been a priority in our life. We were both that way before we met and married and are still that way today. Several of them don’t attend church at all, except maybe Easter and Christmas when they are with us. It makes me sad. Then I question where we went wrong – did we force them too much when they were younger? I don’t know. So I worry – how will they handle difficult situations without that relationship with God? I know that there have been many stumbling blocks in our life through the years that God walked us through. I want that for them.

Several months ago I was listening to Spirit FM which is our local Christian radio station when I heard a story about “The God Box”.  I found the story here and realized that I needed that too. I love the line where she says, “…Then, she believed, God would take over”. That was the phrase that hit me. That is trust and that is what I needed. So now I place my prayers, hopes, praise, and worries into my God Box and I am much better about trusting in God’s unfailing love. 

My Hastily Made God Box

The challenge this week is to use a tree in your card or project.

Our sponsor this week is Whimsy Stamps.

Don't forget to stop by my SSIC design sisters (listed on the sidebar) to see what they have to share this week.

It is always great to see you, thanks for the comments and have a wonderful week surrounded with God's love.

Recipe: 

Stamps: Joyful Holiday

Designer Paper: Navy and White

Other: ribbon

Challenges: 




  

Daydream Designs Declaration of Hope Day

Daydream Designs Declaration of Hope Day

October 9th

Cancer touches most of us in one way or another. It has touched me on several levels. Last year at this time my husband had just had his first chemo and radiation treatment for throat cancer. He is the only one in his family to get cancer so it really took us by surprise. The treatment is brutal, he had radiation 5 days a week and 3 chemo treatments. He had to be hospitalized once. It was not an easy time for him or us. However, we also experienced incredible support and love from our church and coworkers and family. It was life affirming.

At the school where I teach there is a 5th grade girl named Laura, she is undergoing cancer treatment for leukemia for the second time. The first time was when she was in kindergarten. She is one of the sweetest little girls I know. It is hard on her and her family.

A fellow teacher faced breast cancer several years ago, then it came back in her brain. She had had several surgeries and continues to have treatments. She is still teaching, still sharing her battle through walk days for breast cancer. Her fight has affected us all. She is the teacher for the 5th grade student who is battling again. 

These are my heroes. They fight the fight with Hope and Strength and Faith. 

Visit our blogs, for your own inspiration, but we’d love to hear from you too. We invite you to share your own testimony of faith, or take the opportunity to honor loved ones who lost the battle with cancer.  Share whatever is on your heart.  You can tell your story on anyone’s blog, but we hope you’ll let each 

designer know you visited.  Maybe you’d just rather list the names of those you want to honor and remember, whatever the form the cancer /disease took.  Here are the dream team members who are participating.  

Diane

Miesje ( you are here)

Helen

Michelle

Beth

Peggysue

Jerusha

Vicki

Karen

Thank you for joining us, for commenting, and for your support of cancer awareness. 

Christmas Boy: Ephesians 3: 17-119

Another Sunday has rolled around which means that Stampin' Sisters in Christ has another challenge based on scripture for you! This week I decided to get a tiny jump start on Christmas cards. I usually do not like to jump ahead in seasons but there just is not enough time to make them after Thanksgiving.

Sweet Michelle is the challenge hostess for is this week and the verse she chose is Ephesians 3:17-19. Be sure to read her devotion for this week over on SSiC.

"that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height - to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge."

I think children know that love of Jesus deep in their hearts. They accept it easier and without over-thinking it like many of us adults. I remember when my children were little we used to through our arms out as wide as we could and say, "I love you THIS much". That is how much we are loved! Thank you Jesus!

The challenge this week is to make a box or use an image that includes a box.

This week our sponsor is Digi garden. Their digis are just adorable.  The card I made uses one of their cute little guy named Chester.

Don't forget to stop by my SSIC design sisters (listed on the sidebar) to see what they have to share this week.

It is always great to see you, thanks for the comments and have a wonderful week surrounded with God's love.

Recipe: 

Stamps: Digigarden - Chester
Paper: SU red

Designer Paper: SU

Other: Spellbinder dies, ribbon

Challenges: 
Christmas Stampin' All Year Long - Tag your it
Lili's Little Fairies -Christmas card for a boy
Simply Create - Always anything goes
Southern Girls - Spots & stripes


 
  

More Fall

Yes, that's right, another fall card using the wonderful digis from Daydream Designs. 

This was a pretty simple card to make. The image is from "A Bushel and a Peck - Colorized". I printed it out twice and then cut out a few of the leaves to fall over the basket and onto the sentiment from "Pumpkin Patch - Colorized" which I printed on the mustard card stock. The background is simple - just a sponged border on the mustard. I used 2 Spellbinder labels for the sentiment. I think this comes close to a CAS card but .... maybe not. 

I entered this card in the following challenges:

Catered Crop - Fall/Harvest
Cupcake Inspirations - Photo Inspiration 
Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes 

Hello Fall

I want Fall! This time of year I am so anxious to have some cooler temperatures. As much as I love the summers and the days on the lake, I do miss the beauty of fall. So I decided to make a couple of cards using the wonderful digis from Daydream Designs. 

This card was actually 2 digis that I overlapped using Word. It was so much easier than I thought it would be. I got the pumpkin image from "Pumpkins and Sunflowers" and sent to the back then used the sentiment from "God's Bountiful Love" and dragged it on the top. Done - simple. I used one of my Spellbinder Dies for the image/sentiment element and popped it up a bit. The gray was run through the Cuttlebug to add a little dimension to it. I also loved that paper from Basic Grey. Some ribbon and a little orange thingy that was just in my "fall" bin. I will have another card tomorrow - more fall.

I entered this card in the following challenges:

My Sheri Crafts  -  2W - 1stW #95 Apple or Pumpkin
Catered Crop - 2W - (1st week) (Fall/Harvest)
Cupcake Inspirations - Photo Inspiration 
Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes
Word Art Wednesday - Verse

Best Card Ever!

I am always posting cards that I make for all my loved ones or even just for fun! Most of the cards that I make I am quite happy with, they make me smile or I hope they make others smile. But this is the BEST CARD EVER! 

We had one of our sons 4 children for an overnight while their parents went to a football game. Their oldest is 10 and their only girl. She, as do most of my grand-children, love my craft room. Ella made this card and left it for me to find. She wrote the sweetest note thanking her grandfather and I for the best time and signed it from her and her 3 younger brothers. 

They were so good, even in church, that I should be making them a thank you card! I had to share this!

I posted this card in the Simon Says Stamp challenge this week.

Happy Monday, hope this made you smile!

Birthday Song: Ephesians 5:19-20

Happy Sunday! This means that Stampin' Sisters in Christ has another challenge based on scripture for you! Another birthday card for you today. This one I can fill in the name and it will be perfect for some of the "tween" birthday grand-kids. Those are another challenge for me.

This week our music lover MariLynn is the challenge hostess and the verse she chose is Ephesians 5:19-20. Be sure to read her devotion for this week over on SSIC.

"Speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."

Music makes me smile. Living in Florida requires many lawn mowing days for many months of the year, it is a chore that I do enjoy. I pop in my little IPod Nano and I mow for about 2 hours listening to my wonderful Christian music. I think good thoughts no matter what is going on in my daily life because I am basically communicating with God for those 2 hours. I cannot sing well but over the lawn mower noise no one but God can hear my anyway. I love it!

The challenge this week is to create a project that shows some element of music.

I used to GKD stamp sets for this card and decided to dust of my Kaleidacolor inkpad to stamp the adorable juke box from Gleefully Yours. The sentiment is from the Candles on your Cake set. I heat embossed the notes and the sentiment and added a cute little birthday hat. It was a fun card to make. 

This week our sponsor is Fred She Said. You will receive a $15 gift card to shop with, there are some wonderful fall digital images to be found. 

Don't forget to stop by my SSIC design sisters (listed on the sidebar) to see what they have to share this week.

It is always great to see you, thanks for the comments and have a wonderful week surrounded with God's love.

Recipe: 

Stamps: GKD - Gleefully Yours and Candles on your Cake
Paper: GKD - Pure Luxury

Designer Paper: none

Other: Spellbinder dies, ribbon, embossing

Challenges: 
Inspire Me Fridays – Always Anything Goes
Amusing Challenges -  Anything Goes
Stamptacular Sunday - Must use a stamp - It`s your Birthday 
So Artful Challenge -Magic Garden, colors Purple, Lime Green, Fuchsia & Turquoise 
Colour Me Creative Challenge - Bright, Fun Colors 
Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes    

Cowboy Birthday: Psalm 139:14

Happy Sunday! This means that Stampin' Sisters in Christ has another challenge based on scripture for you! God blessed us with 6 sons who have further blessed us with 11 grandsons - I am always looking for masculine cards to keep on the ready. I think this would qualify for young or old(er).

This week our ever Lovely Linda is the challenge hostess and the verse she chose is Psalm 139:14. Be sure to read her devotion for this week over on SSIC.

"I give you thanks that I am fearfully, wonderfully made; wonderful are your works. My soul also you knew full well;..."

Many years ago Jerry and I were very involved in Worldwide Marriage Encounter. One of the phrases that was used on the weekends was "God does not make junk". So often we may think we are unworthy or that we have just messed up too often for Him to still love us. It is important to always remember that God made us wonderfully, and He loves us always! I used to tell my children that there was nothing they could ever do that would be terrible enough for me to stop loving them - I think this verse is our Father telling me the very same thing! 

The challenge this week is; create a card/project with something handmade on it - could be a flower, stitching, patterned paper - show us your creativity!

See the frame around the boots? I used some gold cording and twine, I french braided them and then glued it on. Turned out pretty cool. Now the background just happened - the patterned paper is from Basic Grey called Curio. That dark border is part of the paper. I just laid the paper on the card stock like you see it and loved it. I took the cut off corners for the top. See - it just happened. The lovely image and sentiment are from Daydream Designs. You must check out these digis - they are amazing! 

This week our sponsor is A Day for Daisies. You will receive a $12 gift card to shop with. 

Don't forget to stop by my SSIC design sisters (listed on the sidebar) to see what they have to share this week.

It is always great to see you, thanks for the comments and have a wonderful week surrounded with God's love.

Recipe: 

Stamps: DD - Home on the Range
Paper: SU - Bravo Burgundy

Designer Paper: Basic Grey - Curio

Other: Spellbinder dies, twine, cold cording

Challenges: 
Inspire Me Fridays – Always Anything Goes
Simply Create Too - 2W - Week 2, Anything Goes
Allsorts Challenge - inspired by a song - "These boots were made for walkin" 
 

CSS - Color Blog Hop - 9/21/2012

Welcome to a color combination challenge blog hop hosted by members of the Gina K.' CSS Alumni team. Today we are featuring hand drawn sets designed by Melanie Muenchinger and Theresa Momber. As you hop along make sure to leave a comment because on Tuesday morning (September 25), we will randomly choose two comments from all the blogs and two lucky individuals will receive a Gina K. Designs Stamps set each (the winners will receive either a set designed by Melanie Muenchinger or Theresa Momber).

 

You should have arrived from the fabulous blog of Melissa Shultz! 

I absolutely love the stamp sets from Theresa and Melanie. I think I have most of them so choosing which sets to use was no easy task. Since we are going with the fall colors (Fresh Asparagus Sweet Corn, and Pumpkin Spice), and since I had not yet inked up Melanie's wonderfully versatile Basket Additions 3 I decided to use that one. I made this card to send to my grandchildren in Alaska - I miss them! I placed the adorable Halloween images in the Holiday Basket. It was fun to make. I do not know if you can see the sparkle from the Sakura pens to highlight the images. 

I find that I am always low on masculine cards (6 sons) so for this card I chose Theresa's Mountain Wilderness. I am not sure if you can tell that I lightly stamped some trees on the green background. I wanted this to be a birthday card so I used a sentiment from Theresa's The Giving Tree. It was an afterthought to stamp a row of trees along the bottom of the card. I used some sparkly gems to give it just a bit of bling - not too much since my guys wouldn't notice anyway!

Now hop on over to visit Sharri Seffens, for some more fabulous eye candy. If you want to start at the beginning or get lost along the way, just jump directly to the links for all of the wonderful creations on StampTV.

Thanks for stopping by! 

Daydream Designs September Blog Hop: 9-17-2012

We are so excited to launch our first Daydream Designs Blog Hop!  We have a fabulous line up of fun fall-themed projects to share with you.  We hope you will be inspired and enjoy the hop.  You also have several ways to earn a chance to win some great prizes:

 OUR SPONSOR:

 

THE PRIZES:

1.  Leave a comment on each of the blogs below.

One random winner will be selected to win one FREE set of choice (including digi paper packs)

from Daydream Designs.

Diane

 MariLynn

Miesje (that's me)

Amy

Helen

Michelle

Traci

Beth

Peggysue

Jerusha

Vicki

2.  Leave a comment on each blog above AND create your own fall-themed project to link

on the last blog of the blog hop, Vicki's Pink Posh Cards.

If you participate in both of these ways your name will be entered

for random selection to win THREE FREE sets of your choice (including paper packs).

3. And for this blog hop EVERYONE CAN WIN!

Pick up the FREE digi at the end of the first blog in the hop:

Diane's Daydream Designs.

The winners will be announced on Thursday! Be sure to check back on Diane's blog to see if your name is there. Good luck!

MY PROJECT: 

This fun card was created using Daydream Designs Bushel and a Peck Colorized version. Kris sure is amazing at coloring these isn't she? Several years ago I won the Spellbinders Apple die set - now what could have been more perfect with this image? I printed the basket with apples several times and then cut out a few extra apples. I popped up the one next to the basket and added another onto the sentiment. There is a third on the inside of the card. Love those apples! The sentiment was a freebie over at Stampin Sisters in Christ yesterday also from DD - I love freebies!  

Now be sure to hop on over to Amy's blog to see what wonderful fall creation she has for you.

Thanks for visiting and for commenting!