Society of Stampaholics

 

If you are a stmpaholic, you really should check out  Deborah's blog,  Society of Stampaholics.

Peaceful card

 

Sometimes a camera doesn't do justice to a card.  This is one of those times. The floral background was done doing embossed pounded flowers technique with clover and chicory flowers. I stitched the card together with a decorative scalloped stitch. The sentiment is a Mark's Finest Papers sentiment from the set Daffodil Greetings.

 

This is the inside of the card. I printed this scripture using my computer. You can see the back side of the scalloped stitching.

Stampin' Sisters in Christ Challenge 145

Psalm 46:10 "Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."  This is the scripture that my friend and stampin' sister Kris picked for the Stampin' Sisters in Christ Challenge.  This is one of my favorite psalms. I love how it starts out ..."God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble."  I love the next two verses.  "Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though its waters roar and be troubled, Though the mountains shake with its swelling." Can you imagine the headlines and news shows if the mountains were picked up and were suddenly in the ocean? A few years ago when the Mississippi river flooded, I got to see rushing water first hand. Fortunately I haven't experienced earthquakes. I know that floods and earthquakes can be fearful events. So can losing your job, having a the doctor tell you that you have cancer...the list could go on and on because there are so many troubles in this world. I don't know how those who don't know Christ survive. Who do they turn to when the troubles come? Who is their refuge?  I don't have the answer as to why we have troubles, but I do know where to turn when the troubles come. My God is my refuge. He is my safe place. He is my help when trouble comes. 


Kris's challenge is to : Use flags/banners in your creation.

 A couple of Sundays ago, my boys along with their fellow scouts participated in a flag day ceremony at our local Elks club. They have done this for several years. The Elks in return make a generous donation to the boys for their summer camp fund. It is my pleasure to make the thank you cards for the group. I knew I was going to need to make one soon, so Kris's challenge was just the reminder that I needed to make a thank you card.

My son Joshua is in the back row all the way to the left. My other son Kaleb is also in the back row, standing in front of the yellow flag.  

Joshua is kinda hiding behind the black flag in this photo. Kaleb is second from the right.

To make my thank you card, I used a retired- Mark's Finest Papers set called American Made. The blue dp was sitting on my desk. It was the scraps from my card a couple of weeks ago with the campfire and stars. (It was time for me to clean up.)


The sponsor for this week is Kelly Little. One blessed winner will get a grab bag of stamps.





Check out what my Stampin’ Sisters in Christ have created to share with you.
Candace
Diane
Helen
Jerusha
Kris
Linda
Michelle
Miesje
Peggysue
Sandie
Traci

 I was blessed listening to this song based on this Psalm. I know you will be too.

Final Day of MFP June blog hop

Welcome to Mark's Finest Papers a Heinrich Company's 

                        June Blog Hop!

This month's New Stamp Set Releases are

Welcome Poppies Featured June 19
I'm In Stitches Featured June 20
Island Life Featured June 21
Silly Shells Featured June 22
Please hop along with us! You have a chance to win one of the above stamp sets! Just comment on the following blogs (don't forget this one), each day for more chances to win! (You do NOT have to comment on all the blogs each day! The names are drawn randomly!) All four winners will be announced on June 23, 2012 on the Mark's Finest Papers blog. You can go back and comment if you missed a day. (HINT: The more you comment, the more chances you have to win and comments on the MFP blog count twice!) The deadline for commenting is 11PM EST on Friday June 22, 2012.

Lois
Vicky
Anne
Pat G.
Karen H.
Patty P.
Mary
Marilynn This is me.
Pam
Debbie
Nancy
Bonnie
Kathy
Brenda
Toni
Tangii
Thrifty Stamper
Sue
Kelli
Janine
Tammylee
Janis L.
Mark's Finest

I was inspired to make a tag album after

seeing this amazing one by my friend Michelle.

I stamped the lighthouse from yesterday's set called

Island Life. I stamped the shells from Silly Shells. I painted the shells

with watercolors and the big pink one has champagne paint over the

top of it.

This close up view is a little blurry but 

it does kinda show the shimmer of the paint on

the shell.

I took several scriptures from the Bible about the sea and printed them on my computer.

I then stitched them to the alternating dp.  

I also stamped the shells over the printed scriptures with brown ink.

This one is Revelation 5:13

This one is Nehemiah 9:6

 This one is from the set Island Life  -  Job 9:8

Psalm 96:10-13

 This shows them spread out.

I left the backs empty, so you could see the paper, but left

the opportunity to add more scriptures if I choose to.

These are the following winners of my comment challenge yesterday. They each will win a pretzel knot.

 #6 Mary917

#15Designing with Debbie

#19 Elizabeth Hart

and
#21 Janis.



I have not ever heard a shark or a starfish or an octopus sing praise to God, but Revelation 5:13 says that all those creatures along with many others will all Praise Him. I love this song called Praise Him. We sang this last Sunday and it blessed me, and I hope it blesses you too. I also hope you had a great time with this month's blog hop.

MFP JUNE BLOG HOP DAY 3

Welcome to Mark's Finest Papers a Heinrich Company's 
                        June Blog Hop!

This month's New Stamp Set Releases are

Welcome Poppies Featured June 19
I'm In Stitches Featured June 20
Island Life Featured June 21
Silly Shells Featured June 22
Please hop along with us! You have a chance to win one of the above stamp sets! Just comment on the following blogs (don't forget this one), each day for more chances to win! (You do NOT have to comment on all the blogs each day! The names are drawn randomly!) All four winners will be announced on June 23, 2012 on the Mark's Finest Papers blog. You can go back and comment if you missed a day. (HINT: The more you comment, the more chances you have to win and comments on the MFP blog count twice!) The deadline for commenting is 11PM EST on Friday June 22, 2012.

Lois
Vicky
Anne
Pat G.
Karen H.
Patty P.
Mary
Marilynn  THIS IS ME
Pam
Debbie
Nancy
Bonnie
Kathy
Brenda
Toni
Tangii
Thrifty Stamper
Sue
Kelli
Janine
Tammylee
Janis L.
Mark's Finest

This last week I saw a card that had a pretzel knot on it. I went to youtube and learned how to tie a pretzel knot. It took me several hours and lots of attempts to get it down, but I think it was worth it when I put it on my card for today. I have several extra knots that I would like to share. I am going to randomly pick 4 of the comments that I receive on today's post to win those extra knots. I will post the winners on my post for day 4 of the MFP blog hop.

 Close up view of the pretzel knot

 Another card that I made as a sneak peek. I just tied regular knots on the twine on this card.

This song just seems to go with this card. Such a happy feeling to it.

I am going to enter this card in the Word Art Wednesday challenge.

MFP June Blog Hop Day 2

Welcome to Mark's Finest Papers a Heinrich Company's 
                        June Blog Hop!

This month's New Stamp Set Releases are

Welcome Poppies Featured June 19
I'm In Stitches Featured June 20
Island Life Featured June 21
Silly Shells Featured June 22
Please hop along with us! You have a chance to win one of the above stamp sets! Just comment on the following blogs (don't forget this one), each day for more chances to win! (You do NOT have to comment on all the blogs each day! The names are drawn randomly!) All four winners will be announced on June 23, 2012 on the Mark's Finest Papers blog. You can go back and comment if you missed a day. (HINT: The more you comment, the more chances you have to win and comments on the MFP blog count twice!) The deadline for commenting is 11PM EST on Friday June 22, 2012.

Lois
Vicky
Anne
Pat G.
Karen H.
Patty P.
Mary
Marilynn
Pam
Debbie
Nancy
Bonnie
Kathy
Brenda
Toni
Tangii
Thrifty Stamper
Sue
Kelli
Janine
Tammylee
Janis L.
Mark's Finest

I love this set. The sewing machine looks a lot like the one my grandma had and my mom now has.My mom taught me to sew when I was really little. When my girls were little I sewed them matching dresses. Now that they are a little bigger and a home SEWN outfit is uncool, I haven't done a lot of sewing on material, but I sew ALL the time on my cards.  For my card today I used vintage looking dp scraps to make a quilt. I embossed the quilt then I sewed the pieces down.

 

A close up view of the sewing.

I made this card with my amazing mother in law in my mind. She along with a group of ladies from her church make up a group called Comfort Quilters.  They make quilts that they give away to those needing comfort. They gave some to the police to give to children. They also made quilts to give to a homeless shelter.

This is my mother in law in the tan sweater giving the police officer one of the quilts.












 

You  can read more about their group in this newsletter.

Comfort Quilters

This song is such a pretty song about sharing, loving and giving the comfort of Christ to the world around us. I hope that you like this song.

June MFP Blog Hop Day 1

Welcome to Mark's Finest Papers a Heinrich Company's 
                        June Blog Hop!

This month's New Stamp Set Releases are

Welcome Poppies Featured June 19
I'm In Stitches Featured June 20
Island Life Featured June 21
Silly Shells Featured June 22
Please hop along with us! You have a chance to win one of the above stamp sets! Just comment on the following blogs (don't forget this one), each day for more chances to win! (You do NOT have to comment on all the blogs each day! The names are drawn randomly!) All four winners will be announced on June 23, 2012 on the Mark's Finest Papers blog. You can go back and comment if you missed a day. (HINT: The more you comment, the more chances you have to win and comments on the MFP blog count twice!) The deadline for commenting is 11PM EST on Friday June 22, 2012.

Lois
Vicky
Anne
Pat G.
Karen H.
Patty P.
Mary
Marilynn
Pam
Debbie
Nancy
Bonnie
Kathy
Brenda
Toni
Tangii
Thrifty Stamper
Sue
Kelli
Janine
Tammylee
Janis L.
Mark's Finest 

Here is my card using this set. I made a telescoping card. I added stitching to add interest. The butterfly was done using the set called DAFFODIL GREETINGS. I used Burned Aleene's Tacky Glue technique to make center of flowers. The centers kinda look like raisins to me.

Telescoping view

Close up view of flowers and butterflies.

Close up view of stitching.

 Another card I made using same butterfly and poppies. A RED WHITE AND BLUE card.

 Another card using same butterfly and poppies.

We learned  this worship song in church this week, and I have enjoyed listening to it all day as I got this post ready. I thought I would share it with you.

 I am entering the telescoping card into The Sisterhood of Crafters for their going in circles challenge.
I am also entering these poppy cards in the Lollipop Crafts Challenge #83 flowers in bloom.
I am also entering the RED WHITE and BLUE poppy card in the Paper Pretties Red, white and blue challenge PPMC44 
 All three of my cards have stitching and I'm entering them in The Cutie Pie Challenge to use real or faux stitching on a card.

Ephesians 2:10 - For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

 That was the scripture that my Stampin' Sister in Christ, Jerusha, choose for this week's challenge. I was going to write a devotion about this scripture, but my kids were in an accident today that totaled the vehicle, I am thankful that I still have his masterpieces in my life. I just want to challenge everyone to tell those that you love, that you love them, because this life is so uncertain.

 Jerusha's challenge is to: Create something that reflects you - you are God's masterpiece!



How does this card reflect me? I embossed the background with a music embossing folder to reflect my love and passion for music. I play guitar and piano and sing. The butterfly is on the card because I love butterflies. My kids have laughed because I have stopped and picked up dead butterflies before because they are so pretty. The white paper lace, ribbon and rhinestones is because my style is a romantic style. I used 3 of my favorite techniques making this card. I ink spray smashed the background, I use paper tole on one of the poppies, and  I used Aleene's burned tacky glue technique on the centers of the poppies.I used the poppies from a set that will be released by MFP this week. Lastly and perhaps the most important, is the color purple and the scripture. The scripture is a reminder that I belong to God, and the purple color, for royalty, reminds me that I am a daughter of the King. The sponsor this week is Clear Dollar Stamps

Check out what my Stampin’ Sisters in Christ have created to share with you.
Candace
Diane
Helen
Jerusha
Kris
Linda
Michelle
Miesje
Peggysue
Sandie
Traci


 

True love

The hostess this week for Stampin' Sisters in Christ is my Stampin' sister Helen. She chose this verse to think about this week: 1 John 3:18 "Dear children, let's not merely say that we love each other, let us show the truth by our actions" NLT This last week my daughters and I watched a "Chick-Flick". We laughed at the predictability of the two main characters "falling" in love. I remember that "falling in love" feeling. It was nice while it lasted, but the problem with feelings is that they come and they go. The year my husband and I got married, my parents celebrated their 25th anniversary, my in-laws celebrated their 35th anniversary and my grandparents celebrated their 50th. We included in our reception a celebration of their examples of love. My husband got up and thanked them all for their examples of what love looks like. His parents had to deal with his mother being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis(MS). So many couples split up when there is a diagnosis of a serious disease, but his parents showed true love by working through the health issues. There was a time when my mother in law was completely bed ridden and my Father in law had to do more than his share of the work. For my in-laws love wasn't a feeling, it was a decision and their actions showed in how my Father in law took care of my mother in law. This year my in-laws celebrated their 56th anniversary. Last week my daughter was a bridesmaid in a wedding. I wish I could share with her friends the secret of a long marriage. This scripture sums up that secret. The need to "Not merely say that (they) love each other..." but let their actions speak for themselves.

 This is Helen's Challenge : 1) image showing action OR 2) an image only on the front of your card (no sentiment on the front) OR 3) action card (make it move)

I went with the second part of her challenge to make a card with no sentiment on the front.

This week's sponsor is The Paper Shelter. I used one of their images in my card. This little wedding couple is so cute. I added extra dimension by layering the groom's head and adding dimension on the bride. The back part of her veil is the bottom layer. I made a joy fold card with white on white embossing. I added want2scrap bling on the corners and added pearls to the little bride's neck.

Check out what my Stampin’ Sisters in Christ have created to share with you.
Candace
Diane
Helen
Jerusha
Kris
Linda
Michelle
Miesje
Peggysue
Sandie

That a starry sky offers a better view....

My wonderful stampin' Sister Diane, picked a fabulous verse for our contemplation this week.  I

Isaiah 40:26— “Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.”

This last fall, on Wednesday nights, we did a series on creation at church. We watched a video series and the pastor on the series talked about how big our galaxy really is and the universe contains uncountable galaxies. The scripture that jumped out at me during that study was that no matter how big the universe is, God held up his hand to measure it. Those are pretty big hands. Big enough to place, my family, my troubles, my hopes, my desires... my life into!!

Isaiah 40:12 "Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand,
    or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens? ..."

Diane's challenge was: Create a card that depicts any element of heaven—angels, music, clouds, sun, stars, blue, glitter, bling, etc.

Our wonderful sponsor this week  Market Street  has such wonderful stamps. I just fell in love with this camping set. I made the stars on my card using the little hearts and circles that are in the set.

 The inspiration for my card was the song "Gratitude" by Nicole Nordeman. The song basically asks God for his provision and like how I often do starts by telling God how we want him to do it, but then it switches to saying "Or maybe not, not today, Maybe you'll provide in other ways. And if that's the case. I'll give thanks to you with Gratitude."

The part that has always hit me in this song is where she sings about asking God to "keep us safe beneath our sturdy roofs this time." Then she goes on to say  what is on my card.

 Usually when I want to add sentiments to my cards that are not stamps, I use my printer, but because I wanted it to look like night, I decided to hand-write the sentiment.  . 

Check out what my Stampin’ Sisters in Christ have created to share with you.
Candace
Diane
Helen
Jerusha
Kris
Linda
Michelle
Miesje
Peggysue
Sandie
Traci

This is the song "Gratitude" by Nicole Nordeman. I hope it touches your heart like it does mine.