Thank You Blog Hop!

Oh we have a fun blog hop for you tonight and I had a great time making all of these cards on one day last Sunday!

Tonight we are having a special blog hop to thank our recently retired StampTV Challenge Hostess Team members: Carla Suto , Melissa Shultz, Brenda Turner, Linda Payne, Giovana Smith

These 5 designers have provided StampTV with a challenge each week during the months of June, July and August.

Carla Suto 

Her color challenges were amazing! The challenge of hers that I chose to showcase was her first one - brown, green and ivory. See her original challenge card here! Thank you Carla - loved all of your challenges!

Stamps: Fanciful Fall

Card Stock: Pure Luxury Chocolate Brown, Fresh Asparagus, Ivory

Specialty Paper: Basic Grey Cappella

Melissa Shultz

I just love Sketch Challenges and Melissa's were wonderful! Some were tricky and some were not. The one I chose to emulate was her 6th challenge. Here is the link to her sample card.

Stamps: A year of leaves and Fanciful Fall

Card Stock: Pure Luxury Pumpkin Spice, Ivory

Specialty Paper: Cloud Nine - Harvest Holiday

Brenda Turner

The creative Brenda came up with several very challenging challenges! These were probably the most difficult for me although I think I did enter most of them. She found such beautiful ideas for the challenge but the one I CASED for this hop is her 13th one and chose to use the colors. Here is the original challenge.

Stamps: Buds and Vases, A year of flowers

Card Stock: Brown from stash

Specialty Paper: Not sure where that came from, it was in my "fall" box.

Linda Payne

I loved the Blast from the Past challenges and Linda picked some fantastic ones! The one I chose was her 4th which was to use a bow and old button. See the link here.

Stamps: Winter Wings

Card Stock: Pure Luxury Cranberry Tart, Fresh Asparagus

Specialty Paper: Cloud Nine Harvest Holiday

Giovana Smith

Now when I first heard that we were to make Christmas cards I must admit that I was not thrilled. I was just getting ready to start my summer vacation and did NOT want to think Christmas - BUT - here it is getting close to November and I am soooo glad that I made Christmas cards this summer! I decided to thank Giovana by following her 10th challenge which was to use punches/dies. Check out her fantastic sample!

Stamps: Lovely Labels 2 and Blessed is the Season 

Card Stock: Pure Luxury All Spruced Up and Good as Gold

Specialty Paper: Basic Grey Jovial

We have a special StampTV Challenge Magazine Volume 3* located on the Freebie Tab, where all of their challenges are shared in a download PDF that you can save to your computer and print out at your leisure!

Now be sure to hop on over to see Karen's thank you creations!

Please join in our Thank You Discussion on Stamp TV and feel free to play along and say thank you with your own take on one of their challenges!!!

Have a great evening!

Pray: Matthew 6:9-13

Happy Sunday and another challenge from Stampin' Sisters in Christ. We finally got a little taste of slightly cooler air and it is wonderful! The windows are finally opened for the first time since May! Thank you God! 

Today our challenge hostess is our amazing Lisa and the scripture she chose is from Matthew and one that we all know so well.

Matthew 6: 9-13 "This, then, is how you should pray: 'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.'

I do believe that we do all now the Lord's prayer. We say it at every mass. Let me ask you a question - how often do you talk to the people you love? Your spouse, your children, your sisters and brothers, or adult children? Probably every day or even several times a day! Do we talk to God that often? Do you think maybe we should? Relationships need communications and our relationship with God does too. So often we can go along just fine until something happens in our lives that knocks us to our knees and then we pray! Or we say the prayers we know so well without really thinking of the words and what they mean. We need to make time for daily prayer, make it a priority in our life.

I made this card for someone who is in great need for prayer - someone who was knocked to his knees. These stamps are from ODBD and I used the cracked glass technique to age the image and the words a bit.

Be sure to stop by my SSIC design sisters to see what they have to share this week:

Chris Olsen: Twinkles Glow With Stamps

Grace Nywening: Th-INK-ing of You

Linda Lucas: Lovely Linda's Craft Central

Lisa Hjulberg: The Craft's Meow
Patti J Gilliam: Cherish Each Precious Day

Peggysue Turner: Roses By My Window

Rebekka Reed: Diamond in the Rough

Thanks for stopping by - remember - daily prayer!

Recipe:

Stamps: ODBD - Lift up your hands and Pray

Paper: SU Chocolate and Rust
Specialty paper: Cosmo Cricket - Earth Love

Other: Flourish punch and some pearls and Nestablitily border punch

Other Challenges:
Our Daily Bread Designs: Anything Goes

 

Magic Day

I decided to make a Halloween card this weekend. I have a couple of really fun paper packs and this spider paper was in it. I just had to use it. The cute image is from Alicia (Gina's daughter) and was fun to color. I just used the top portion of the image and stamped the hat twice to pop it up a little. The pumpkins I stamped on a glittery paper and colored it which made it look a little brighter. I have no idea where I got the pumpkin brads for the corners.

This card is for a color challenge on StampTV and the sketch layout is from CardPatterns.  

Thanks for the quick visit! Have a day filled with blessings!

Recipe:
Stamps: Feel the Magic - Gina K Designs
Paper: SU Basic Gray and Pumpkin Pie
Special Paper: Basic Grey eerie
Other:Pumpkin brads - ribbon 
Challenges:
Stamp TV: Color challenge
Card Patterns: Sketch Challenge 
Simon Says Challenge: Halloween

Thank You God - 1 Timothy 4:4

Thank you God! How often do we remember to thank God for the little things, the farmers who grow our food, the weather (both rain and sun), the smiles of a stranger, the hug from a loved one. The day is filled with the wonderful gifts from God. Thanks also for another wonderful Sunday and a new scripture message from Stampin' Sisters in Christ.

Today our wonderful newest design sister is our challenge hostess and had this wonderful verse for all of us to work with from 1st Timothy 4:4.

"For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving."

Today I did remember to thank God for a morning of watching 2 of my grandsons play in a football game while I sat with my daughters and granddaughter. Then I again remembered to thank God for sitting at mass tonight with another granddaughter and daughter-in-law while another granddaughter sang a solo. There was a pot-luck dinner after the service that my sister (the children choir director) organized - thank you God! What blessings I have in my life. (to see my blessings check out the "All about me" page at the top of this blog). 

This card was just fun to make. It is a new stamp set that I just got called "Funny Farm". Such fun! I sponged the grass and the sky and used Copics to color the rest. I popped up the farm girl and the sheep. Just a fun card this time. The challenge for you is to make a thank you card!


Thanks for stopping by - I do thank God for all of you too! 

Recipe:
Stamps: Funny Farm - Gina K
Paper: Gina K Pure Luxury white and liptstick red
Other: Ribbon from GinaK - Copics to color
Other Challenges:
Stamps R Us: Nature
Pollycraft Monday: Anything Goes 

CSS Sketch Blog Hop

I cannot believe that I have not uploaded anything since last Sunday - it has been a busy week but I am back! Yesterday my GinaK box arrived and I could not wait to ink up some rubber; this blog hop and these stamps were the first to get inked up. 

I am so glad that it came in time for the StampTV Center Stage Alumni blog hop. You should have come from Melissa Schultz blog and I am quite sure that she shared another incredible creation. If you want to start at the beginning just head on over to the home page of StampTV.

I used Melanie's Buds and Vases for this card. I love this set and even though I it was a lot of cutting I do like the way it turned out. I used Gina's Pure Luxury Ivory and Turquoise Sea. The DP was from DCWV called Linen Closet. I also used that for the pot. I was sent some of that lace and loved that little extra on this card. I used Copics to color the flowers and added some small gold pearls to the center of the flowers. The sentiment was from Fanciful Fall.

Now hop on over to visit Shannon Hawkins for some more fun with this sketch. I sure am glad you stopped by and for leaving a comment! Have a great weekend! 

Sing - Genesis 1:1

Good to see you again. I hope you all had a peace filled week! It is once again time for the Stampin Sisters in Christ challenge. I have to take a moment to thank you for your wonderful comments last week. It really means a lot to all of us, especially when it is our turn to come up with the scripture and the challenge. So thank you!


This week the wonderful Rebekka is our hostess. She always has such amazing insight and shares with gentleness. Be sure to check out her reflection on the Stampin Sisters in Christ website. I will try not to repeat myself here. The scripture this week is taken from the book of Genesis 1:1:

"In the beginning God created the Heavens and the Earth."

Okay, I have to honest here and really did not know where I was going to go with this verse as far as a personal sharing goes. Then it came to me - amazingly at Mass tonight. My husband is the cantor at the Saturday night masses and I am a lector (scripture reader) and a minister of the Eucharist. One of the songs that we sang tonight was "Canticle of the Sun". The refrain goes like this (be thankful you can NOT hear me sing!) "The Heavens are telling the glory of God, and all creation is shouting for joy. Come, dance in the forest, come play in the field,, and sing, sing to the glory of the Lord." WOW - how wonderful is that! How often do we just stop and SING, SING to the glory of the Lord! I love it - sing with me dear friends!


For the challenge this week Rebekka asks that we create a nature card or project, using anything pertaining to nature, birds, trees, flowers, mountains,  the sky is the limit.

I chose to use 2 stamps sets from Nina Bracket since she is our sponsor this week. I urge you to check out her website Crafting in Croatia, she is amazingly talented and works tirelessly for the Lord. She is an inspiration to me and many others!

Grace, Chris, Rebekka, Linda, Patti, Peggysue, and Lisa
 
Have a great week and I look forward to reading your reflections and seeing your creations!

Sing Glory to the Lord this week!

Recipe:
Stamps: Hugs and Prayers and Vintage Borders sold by GinaK Designs
Paper: Gina K Pure Luxury In the Navy and Fresh Asparagus
Special Paper: Basic Grey - Oliver
Other: Flourish punch, half pearls, Copics to color
Challenges:
StampTV: Monday Color Challenge
Midnight Madness: Sketch Challenge

Autumn Leaves are Falling

I had so much fun making this card I just had to share! I have had that bag of leaves from Lawn and Garden cut and colored for several weeks and just never knew what to do with it. Then Vicki had her sketch challenge on StampTV and I started playing around with that. I remembered the bag with leaves and wala - a card was born! 

I created the background with distress inks and sponges and then spritzed it a bit with water. I have to admit that the first one I made did not turn out as well and is now on the scrap heap!

I wanted to use the rake and decided to use silver embossing on it and cut it very carefully. Added some more leaves from the bag for underneath it. The acorn and sentiment is from A Year of Leaves and the pumpkin was from Signs of Autumn. The leaves under the acorn were punched (MS punch) from scraps in the scrap heap! The ribbon was still from some Stampin Up ribbon that I had.

There you have it - a fun card of falling leaves! Thanks for the visit and Bless You!

Recipe:
Stamps: A Year of Flowers, Lawn and Garden, Signs of Autumn - all Gina K
Paper: Gina K Pure Luxury Vanilla and Cranberry Crisp
Inks: Tim Holtz Distress Inks
Other: Silver embossing, ribbon, MS Leaf punch, Copics to color

Challenges:
Stamp TV: Sketch Challenge
Speedy the Cat: Pumpkin on the card

Peace - John 14:27

Happy Sunday! I hope you all had a great week! It is once again time for the Stampin Sisters in Christ challenge. It was wonderful to see so many entries and to read your wonderful words last week! You all totally rocked the fall colors challenge!


This week it was my turn in the hostess spotlight. I hope you all were able to read my reflection on the Stampin Sisters in Christ website. I will try not to repeat myself here. The scripture this week is taken from the book of John, chapter 14 verse 27:

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid."

We all long for peace! When the children were all little the peace I often longed for was just a little  quiet. During the teen-age years it was the peace of knowing they were safe and on the right road. Now that they are adults I pray that they know or come to know the peace that comes from God. I know several people who I am praying for who are battling cancer and other illnesses and yet they have peace in knowing that they are not alone. Last week my sister-in-law's father died after many years in an assisted living facility - when she called to tell me she said that her dad was finally at peace. Is that not the peace we are all supposed to be striving for? Going home to our father - that is the ultimate peace! Perhaps we care too much for what can (or so we think) give us peace here on earth. 

The dove is a symbol of peace, in fact it is the mascot for the school where I teach. I made this card for my sister-in-law as a sympathy card. It was one of those cards that just came together. I popped up the dove and the leaves. The leaves I colored with Copics in two colors - since I can't seem to get fall colors out of my mind! 

For the challenge this week I ask that you make a card or project with a symbol of peace or that means peace to you. This week we are happy to have as our sponsor Designed2Delight Digi Stamps! And be sure to stop by my SSIC design sisters for more inspiration both for their spirituality and creativity!

Grace, Chris, Rebekka, Linda, Patti, Peggysue, and Cindy
 
Have a great week and I look forward to reading your reflections and seeing your creations!


Peace to you dear friends!

Recipe:
Stamps: Hope Grows and Vintage Borders sold by GinaK Designs
Paper: Gina K Pure Luxury Chocolate, Fresh Asparagus and Cranberry 
Special Paper: Basic Grey - Capella
Other: Some ribbon from my stash, Nesties, 
Challenges:
StampTV: Monday Color Challenge
Midnight Madness: Sketch Challenge
Our Daily Bread: Wings

Inspiration Blog Hop

Good morning and welcome to another blog hop brought to you by the CSS design team! You should have arrived from Melissa's blog or you can always return to or start again from StampTV. This blog hop is an inspiration blog hop. We were to create a card based on this picture - looks yummy doesn't it?

I had fun with this card! I knew I wanted a round card for this and pink and brown are often my colors of choice. I used some crepe paper to make the flower after stamping one of Nina's images on the paper. The flower stem was in my basket of images that I didn't use at one time but don't remember where it came from. 

Now hop on over to Shannon's blog - bet there is a yummy creation there too! My goodness, staying on a diet is tough with this blog hop! Have a great Saturday and thanks for stopping by!

Ingredients (for the card):
Stamps: Hip to be Square (words) and Square Pegs (cupcake) and Hugs and Prayers (backround stamp on the flower)
Paper: GinaK Pure Luxury Chocolate and Bubblegum Pink
Other - Stickles, nesties,  

Fall Daisies

This card is really a little busy for me but once in a while you just have to get out of the comfort zone! I made this for a color challenge on StampTV - Janice asked for Orange, Pink, Teal, and Orange. Definitely not my first choice for colors. I did add some of the brown and it did turn out okay. The layout was for Card Patterns. I really liked the layout - also different for me. Daisies were colored with Copics in the the pink. I used a Cuttlebug folder on the orange and then distressed it a bit for some brown. 

It was nice to make something a little different. Thanks for stopping by! 

Recipe:
Stamps: Hope Grows and Vintage Borders - both sold by Gina K.
Paper: Gina K Pure Luxury Ocean Mist, Sweet Mango
Special Paper: Cosmo Cricket - Nutmeg
Other: Brown Vivid ink - Copic markers, a bit of ribbon

Another Autumn Memory

I had to do it. I tried to restrain myself from entering the GinaK search for next month Center Stage Designer but I lost the battle with myself! I just had to try it again since I had so much fun last month joining in all the preview and release party activities. I know that Gina won't choose me again but entering is fun.


This card's focus is the leaves that came from last month's StampTV kit called Autumn Splendor. I stamped them and then used some distress inks after which I sprayed the leaves with a little water and let them dry. I did quite a few leaves and this is the second project I used them on. I really love how they turned out. The saying in the label from Nina's Lovely Labels is from Melanie's A Year of Leaves. 


My memory is from one of my first fall trips to Door County WI and picking up the leaves to bring home to Florida to show my kids (little at the time) what the fall leaves looked like. They lost a lot of their color by the time they got here though. Anyway - I remember it and so do they.

I am so glad that you stopped by.

OOPS - I tried to copy and paste from an earlier post and all the comments from that one copied too and I somehow deleted that entire post - I sure messed that up! Sorry - no clue how to fix it!

Seasons - Ecclesiastes 3:1

Do you have a favorite season? I have to say that mine is the wonderful season of Autumn. I love the colors and the crisp cool feel to the air along with the brilliant blue skies! Can't you just hear the leaves crackling under your feet. Okay - so I have a vivid imagination and a good memory - living in Florida I have to be honest and the only physical thing that marks the season of Autumn is that football season started! Last Saturday my DH and I went to 2 of our grandson's football game and I honestly think that it was about 95 degrees out there in the blazing sun. Oh well - I still love this season, now onto another Stampin' Sisters in Christ challenge.

The scripture verse this week was chosen by Chris. I do think that it is one that all of us have heard more than once, and that we can all relate to!

Ecclesiastes 3:1 "To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven."

Last night my husband and I were sitting out on the porch watching a baseball (TB RAYS) game and talking about life in general. He mentioned that we were in the Autumn of our life. All of our children are on their own and it us just us. We enjoyed our years of raising our 8 children, the toddler years, the busy years of running them everywhere, the worrisome teenage years (kind of), we really liked every "season". I do believe that we remember them all fondly because we never were alone - God was with us through every one of those seasons and is here with us now and when we get to the winter of our life - He will still be with us. There is a season for everything and those seasons have a purpose. I love the saying on my card from Mother Theresa - Yesterday (spring and summer) is gone, tomorrow (winter) has not yet come, we only have today (autumn), let us begin! 

Chris asked us to use fall colors (green, yellow, melon mambo, red, orange, brown) or leaves on our creation. This challenge is being sponsored by Our Daily Bread Designs! - they have one of the best selection of Christian images and verses, in fact my card was made with one of them, so be sure to stop over.

Enjoy today and thank God for it!

Recipe: 

Stamps: Let us Begin - ODBD, Autumn Splendor for the leaves - GKD

Paper: SU - Really Rust - GKD Pure Luxury Chocolate

Special Paper: Cosmo Cricket - Nutmeg

Other:Some buttons, Copic Markers, Ribbon, button


Challenges:
Spoonful of Sugar - Autumn Colors
Incy Wincy - Autumn Colors
Creative Card Crew - Fall Colors
Belli Challenge - Use a B embelishment - button and bow

 

Lean on Me

I am so excited to be part of the blog hop for this stamp set from GinaK called Lean on Me. This stamp set comes with a free card kit designed by Jessica Frick. You can't beat the value and the stamp set is so versatile! 

I chose to make my card using the wonderful fall colors that God creates for us. I think that these are my favorite colors to work with - kind of unusual considering I am a Florida girl which means that our trees don't get those golden kisses of color.

This card was made using the Cracked Glass technique for the focal image that is so fun to do. You can watch Gina's video here for the step by step instructions. I first stamped the Pure Luxury Kraft paper with the leafy image using Memento brown and Distress Ink Fired Brick and Wild Honey and Pine Needles by stamping off once on the colors other than twice with the brown. Then I used the Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel to create the cracked glass look. I also used the same Distess Ink colors to stamp out a few leaves and cut those out.

The main part of the card was the Pure Luxury Kraft and I used the Pure Luxury Chocolate as well. I stamped the sentiment on Kraft and used the Spellbinder Tag. I had that ribbon in my ribbon stash. The background was paper from Basic Grey paper pack called Indian Summer. I then finished it off with those leaves I had cut up and a large button. 

For even more inspiration with the Lean on Me stamp set, please visit these links below:

• Jessica Fick
• Colleen Schaan
• Suzanne Dean
• Lee Murphy
• Miesje  Flach
• Sharri Seffens
• Melissa Shultz
• Melissa Cash
• Karen Knegten
• Donna Baker 

Thanks so much for stopping by! 

Challenge:
Speedy the Cat: Fall colors
JUGS - Cracked Glass Technique

Fall - John 10:10

Happy Sunday dear friends. Yes, I call you my friends. Many of you come for a visit once a week and several others come by for the first time. You leave me wonderful little messages and I get to share a message with you. Is that not what friends do? Visit each other - encourage each other - and share with each other. So, welcome friends, to another Stampin' Sisters in Christ challenge.

The scripture verse this week was chosen by Peggysue. She had a wonderful choice again this time. It is taken from the book of John chapter 10 verses 10. Be sure to read her wonderful reflection on the main page - worth the read!

John 10:10 "I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly."

Peggysue challenged us to use real or faux stitching somewhere on your card/project. I just took a white jell pen and drew some squiggly lines. This challenge is being sponsored by Simon Says Stamp! - they have such a wonderful variety of products so be sure to stop over.

In the scripture this week Jesus is talking to the Pharisees trying to explain why He came. He tries in many different ways to explain throughout Chapter 10 , it is a great read read. When I read it I couldn't help but compare it to how a parent tries to explain something to a child - or when I teach a new concept to a student - some may get it right away - but others need to hear it and see it. Jesus must be just shaking His head at us and how we just don't get it! He came for us - each and every one of us - period.

For this card I used an image from Simon Says Stamp called Autumn Pals. I like the way the squirrel is just sitting on the tree stump knowing that the nuts will be there for him. Ah - what trust! 

Keep the hope and faith alive dear friends - until next time!

Recipe: 

Stamps: Autumn Pals - Simon Says Stamps

Paper:Gina K Pure Luxury Ivory and Cranberry Red

Special Paper: Cosmo Cricket - Nutmeg

Other:Some buttons, Copic Markers, white Sakura pen
Challenges:
PaperPlay: Autumn is Coming 
SouthernGirlsChallenge: Anything Goes 
Gingerloft: Anything Goes 
Speedy the Cat (Mark's Finest Papers) - Autumn Colors 

 

StampTV CSS Alumni Blog Hop

My very first CSS blog hop! I certainly hope that I did this all correctly! If I did do it right then you arrived here from Melissa Shultz blog. This blog hop is a color challenge and the colors are a wonderful fall preview! I really am in the mood for fall! 

I made this card using the newest StampTV kit from GinaK called Autumn Splendor. I love this set and all the wonderful possibilities for great projects. I used 3 stamps from this set on this one card. I colored the bucket of apples with Copics trying to follow the instructions that Gina posted on her StampTV Copic Coloring video tutorial this week. I love how that turned out! Then I cut it out and put it aside. The base of the card is Pure Luxury Sweet Mango and the Pure Luxury Chocolate panel was run through the Cuttlebug. 


I really love how the smaller background turned out! I used 3 distress inks (Wild Honey, Walnut Stain, and Fired Brick) to sponge the on Pure Luxury Vanilla background with some color. Then I used the script stamp on Brown Memento ink and stamped off once before stamping the panel. I popped up the bucket with apples and added a little tag with the many thanks sentiment. I finished the card off with some dark red ribbon and 3 red dew drops.

Now on to your next stop for this touch of Fall is Shannon Hawkins (the newlywed!) Enjoy the last few hops and don't forget - if you get lost or just want to start over head on home to Stamp TV! 

I hope you all had fun! Thanks for stopping by,

Good Luck

Hello - hello - hello! Is it fall yet? Not in Florida it isn't! The weather forecast was just on and the next 7 days is all the same - 92 high - 78 low - 40% rain chance. Yup partner, we are still in summer. BUT - this Florida girl just loves fall colors and longs for that first taste of cool - may mid to late October. In the meantime - I will be using the colors I love!

This card was made just for fun. I love the wheel and I really  had to put the hat on the fence post. I used lots of my Copic colors for the coloring, in fact I re-started once (the toss away is on the other side of the good one). I had the designer paper from my SU stash. The stamps are all GinaK. Both sets were designed by Theresa - love how they work together.

Thanks for stopping by!

Recipe:

Stamps: Gina K - Wild West and Farm Life

Paper:  Gina K Pure Luxury ivory and chocolate

Specialty Paper: SU Outlaw

Other: Nestability - copics to color and some twine and some copper nailheads

Challenges:
StampTV - Colors - brown, red, yellow, kraft
Mark's Finest Papers - Use 5 of something (nailheads)
JUGS - Sketch 
All Sorts - New beginnings - my son working in the Yukon for 3 months.

 

Hope - John 4:10, 13, 14

Isn't Sunday a wonderful day of the week? I think it is. Saturdays is when we mow the lawn, do laundry, clean the house, grocery shop and go to the occasional grandchild sporting event. We also always go to Mass on Saturday nights, Jerry cantors and I often to the readings and am a Eucharistic Minister at the Saturday night masses. So on Sunday mornings we relax with the paper and coffee and enjoy the day together. It is time once again for the Stampin' Sisters in Christ challenge. Great way to start a Sunday isn't it? I also look forward to reading everyone reflection.


The scripture verse this week was picked by Grace. She had a wonderful choice again this time. It is taken from the book of John chapter 4 verses 10, 13, and 14. Be sure to read her wonderful reflection on the main page - worth the read!

"10Jesus answered and said to her, "If you knew the gift of God and who is saying to you, 'Give me a drink?' you would have asked him and he would have given you living water." 13 Jesus answered and said to her, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again; 14but whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst; the water I shall give will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."

The challenge this week was to make a card that uses water either in image or in the verse. I chose to use the image of the birds drinking the water. It is the living water of Jesus that allows us to have hope. I chose the words Hope is Faith because it is something that I believe and have experienced this week. Hope is so important. Those who are ill have to have the hope and faith that God will either make them well or give them the strength that they need to endure. For those with broken relationships have to hope and have faith that God will help heal that relationship. I personally have been hoping and praying for something like that for a long time and I did have the faith in God that the day would come when that hope would become reality. This week the first step was taken to begin to heal that relationship. I think that if we do have hope, especially with the tough stuff, we stop working and praying for a better result, in essence, we give up. I do not believe that God ever wants us to give up - he wants us to have faith.

This was a fun card to make - I love the image and have used it before. All the details for the card are below.


Keep the hope and faith alive dear friends - until next time!

Recipe: 

Stamps: Spring has Sprung and Hope is Faith - GinaK Designs

Paper: SU Sahara Sand

Special Paper: SU designer paper pack

Other: Spellbinder Die Labels Eight, Ribbon from Michaels, Rhinestone Stickers
Challenges:
StampTV: Sketch
Jugs49: Sketch 

 

Praying

What a week! Ever have one of those - where did the days and time go kind of weeks? Well that was the week at our home! I can't believe it is Thursday and I have not updated my blog! Well, I also have not made cards this week. This was the last one I made on Tuesday and wouldn't you know we did not have Internet (or tv or landline telephone) for the entire night so I could not upload it. My DH (dear husband) and I did take advantage of the time and went on a leisurely boat ride on the lake and just talked. It was nice that neither one of us could really get much work done! I did realize how incredibly dependent we, as a society, have become on that link to the rest of the world. That is also not necessarily a good thing! 

Anyway - I made this card for a couple at our church who is facing a difficult time right now. Letting them know that we are praying for them. It was not a difficult card to make, in fact I threw it together rather quickly. The details are below. I will try to get another upload before the Sunday morning upload - but no guarantees! We have a busy holiday weekend ahead. 

Thanks for stopping by!

Recipe:

Stamps: Gina K - Lovely Shelf and Fanciful Tags

Paper:  Gina K Pure Luxury White and Red Hot

Specialty Paper: DCWV Citrus paper pack

Other: Impressability for the red panel - Nestability for the label - copics to color 

Challenges:
Penny's Paper Challenge - anything goes
Mark's Finest Papers - friendship card

 

Experience - Proverbs 27:17

Happy Sunday everyone! It is time once again for the Stampin' Sisters in Christ challenge. We are always so happy to share this time with you. Great way to start a Sunday isn't it? 

This has been a long week! Most of the teachers felt the same way though. The first full week with kids is tiring. I also had a busy week with family life and making cards for my stint as the Center Stage Spotlight Designer for Gina K Designs. What fun that was but it sure kept me busy for most of my non-working hours! This week has also been filled with God's blessings in a very powerful way! 



The scripture verse this week was picked by Linda and it really made me have to stop and think for a while. Sometimes a verse just jumps out at you, other times we have to think about it. That is certainly not a bad thing - I thought about it a lot. It is taken from the book of Proverbs which is filled with the most wonderful thought provoking verses.

 "As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend."

There is a phrase that I have used many times with my children when they were children and even more as young adults. I would say "You are who you hang around with". I think that is true for all of us. When we surround ourselves with those who love our Lord, those who live a life of giving and forgiving. Those who try NOT to judge others. Friends who do not wear anger as a cloak. We need to be around people who help make us better people! I read in a magazine this week that doing good deeds, wearing a smile, being happy is actually very good for you AND makes others smile and feel happier. How easy is that? I have experienced that very strongly with my friends at Stampin' Sisters in Christ. We turn to each other for prayers - and we know that we all do, in fact, pray! 

The challenge this week is to make a project that includes metal. We sure do hope to see many of you join this challenge - it is fun to put a metal embellishment on your project and the design team has several different ideas for you.

This card was not difficult to make. The stamp set is the new "free with three" from Gina K designs new August release. I gold embossed the image and then used the Labels Six die for the scalloped oval. I had the metal ribbon slide and that went so perfectly along the top. The sketch was for the Tuesday sketch challenge on Stamp TV. The sayings in this stamp set are wonderful! 


Now wear your smiles - be happy - God loves each and every one of us!

Recipe: 

Stamps: You are not Alone - GinaK Designs

Paper: Pure Luxury Craft, Gold and White

Special Paper: DCWV - Linen Closet

Other: Spellbinder Die Labels Six, Ranger gold embossing, gold ribbon, gold ribbon slide, scallop punch 

 

Gina K Preview Day 4

Hello, welcome back! Wasn't yesterday's preview wonderful? That is going to be a StampTV kit that we are all going to want! I know it is going in my cart tomorrow night! Tonight is my last night to share a couple of more fantastic stamp sets with you. Here is the first one - it is the free with three set called You are Not Alone. I absolutely love the sentiments in this set! 

This card was made with some of Gina K Designs's fabulous Pure Luxury Card stock - Vanilla, Ocean Mist, and Red Hot! The combination of these colors are just wonderful! I paired these with some October Afternoon Thrift Shop. Is that not a perfect match? I used markers to color the flower stamp and then my Nesties to make the circles, both plain and scalloped. I placed a few dew drops on the corners. I also distressed the entire card front with some Antique Linen from Tim Holtz.

My second card for tonight is using the fantastic set called Lean on Me also by Gina. This set is incredibly versatile - I love it! 

On this card I also colored on the stamps, at least on the flowers. The card stock was all Pure Luxury, this time only two - white and grass green. I distressed the edges of the white with the blade of a pair of scissors. That way still works best for me! I had the buttons. On the inside I posted a flower on a green and white background. I am not sure if this qualifies for a CAS card but for me it definitely was! This has been a fantastic experience for me, thanks to all of you who traveled this road with me. See you tomorrow night - time to party!

For more samples with the stamp sets being previewed tonight, please check out these participating designer's links:

• Gina *Illustrator of Lean on Me and You are Not Alone*
• Jessica *Designer of Lean on Me card kit*
• Melanie
• Theresa -
• Nina - *Designer of Grand Damask and Fanciful Tags 
• Tami -
• Cathy
• Lee
• Kurtis
• Suzanne
• Bev
• Colleen
• Valerie
• Sankari
• Miesje - *our CenterStage Guest Designer!*

You are invited to join us for our Release party tomorrow night, August 26 from 7-10 central time for contest questions, challenges, and chatter along with tons more samples!  The party leads up to the new products featured this week on our blogs being available for purchase online through GinaK Designs at 10 pm.  See you there for all the fun!