Peace

The challenge hostess this week is my dear friend Peggysue. She has picked this verse for this week.:

John 16:33 (NIV) "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."

Her challenge 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.

The other day on facebook, one of my friends had posted a folk story about a painter who was asked by a wealthy client to paint a picture that depicted peace. He first painted a picture that showed a pastoral valley filled with flowers with mountains in the background. The client said. "No this isn't right, try again." So the painter went back to his studio and painted another painting. Each time he brought the painting of peace to the client, he was told "No, this isn't right, try again." He was getting frustrated and finally sat down and prayed. He then had the answer and went to work painting. The painting he presented to the client showed turbulent ocean crashing against the rocks, with storm clouds overhead with winds blowing. The client was confused at first, until he leaned in for a closer look at the painting. Then he smiled and said "YES, you did it." What was it that he saw? It was a little bird sitting on a nest peaceful and calm in spite of the storm.

I found another version of this folk story, with a painting called TRUE PEACE HERE.

So that along with the scripture was the inspiration for my card. Last week I was inspired by the colors of the storm outside my window to make some designer paper, with ink spray smash technique,  that looked to me like storm.I then printed the bird from My Daydream Designs - Birds and Bees Digi set. I printed the sentiment from My Daydream Designs - Birds and Bees Sentiments.

This challenge and scripture was extremely relevant to me this week.I have been going through several "Storms" of life. Trouble upon trouble. Just as soon as one storm clears, another is there. I am slowly learning that while I can't control the situations around me, the storms around me, I can find peace and shelter in the storm in Jesus. The song by Casting Crowns called "Praise you in the Storm" came to my mind this week. The other song that came to my mind was the song by Scott Krippayne called "Sometimes He calms the Storm"




There are so many days that I ask God to take away the storms and they are still there. Like the lyrics from the Casting Crown song...."I say amen, and it's still raining..." I know He can calm the storms but sometimes He doesn't. That is why I like the lyrics to the second song that  say..."Sometimes He holds us close and lets the winds and waves go wild."  What a comfort to know that if I have to go through the storm He is right there holding me and giving me peace.. 

Our sponsor this week is My Daydream Designs. You should go check out all the wonderful digital images there. I know you will find something that you will just love.

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

Don't give up

This is a card that I would say took a

quite a bit of practice to make. I wanted to try the

Splitcoast Stampers Technique Lovers Challenge

to do Acrylic Block Collage Technique. 

It looked like an easy one to do. And the

results in the TLC399 gallery  were amazing and

artistic. But I have to say this was one of the

hardest challenges for me.This photo below

shows the 17 failed tries. I had almost given up

and thought, well, this technique isn't for me, 

when my friend Pam encouraged me to give it 

another try.

This is the result of my 18th try. What I did

differently was I added raffia to cover up the rough 

edge on top, and I also just relaxed and said,

It is ok if it isn't perfect, just do it.

Then when I was done, I looked at it,  and

realized that I really liked it. It helped

that I used the new cracked background stamp

from MFP. It is going to be released next week.

It is called CRACKED HELLO.

Have you ever just seen a stamp and know

right away that it is going to be one of your favorites?

Well that is what has happened with this set. 

I looked at the butterfly and thought... yea another butterfly,

not like I don't have a million of those already. But, I

am really loving this one. It is really easy to color and make

it look like a real one.

The card below used the same set and I did crayon resist for the

 Ways to Use it challenge.

I am thankful for encouraging friends who don't let me give up!!!!

Trees

Summer

Fall

Winter

Spring

I love trees. God made them beautiful in any season.

 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.

That scripture is the one that my friend and sister in Christ, Miejse picked for this week's contemplation.

When reading it, I had a picture of God's house and his yard. Trees of every shape and kind. All flourishing and doing well. This summer where I live the heat and dry season was very hard on a lot of trees. They didn't look well. In fact some look like they died. People who cared about their trees took extra effort to make sure that they were watered.  Only time will tell if the trees in my yard will make it. The old oak trees don't look very good. That makes me sad because as I said above, I love trees. Perhaps one of my earliest memories is laying in bed looking out the window at the leaves on the tree, while I was supposed to be taking a nap. When I got a little older, my mom would have to look for me because I was always climbing the trees. I've climbed fig trees, orange trees, oak trees, pine trees... I loved being up off of the ground and hidden away.  

Miejse's challenge was to make a card or project with a tree on it.

My first card has a really close up look at the tree with just the pine branches and pincones with a little nuthatch. The sky was dark and rainy today and was the inspiration for the background. As I was making this card, I looked out my window, into the rain and saw the house sparrow that has been my companion all year. As I do my work, I look out the window and see him and his mate. The like to sit on the roof of a near by shed. I call them my little friends. I even talk to them through the window. To me they are a wonderful reminder that because God takes care of the sparrows, he will take care of me. I love the old hymn "His eye is on the Sparrow". I printed it twice. My card is a bifold card. I have the song on the card twice. Once as a background behind the circle and again on the inside flap. I wanted the words to be seen because they are such a comfort to me and I wanted the person who gets this card to be ale to read them. The person that I had in mind when making this card is my friend Michelle. She and her husband pastor the church that I go to. The past couple of months have brought life storms into their lives. First my pastor's grandpa died. He was a believer, so we know that he is with God, but it is still a hard time for the family, and then this last Sunday night, Michelle's brother Jesse was in a horrible motorcycle accident. That night the doctors didn't give the family any hope of him living beyond that night. But he is still alive. I believe that he is still alive because our God is a merciful God and is giving Jesse more time. He is not a believer. I am praying that God will heal him and that Jesse will choose Christ as his savior. What a testimony he will have when that happens. I would like to ask you to join me in praying for Jesse.  

Inside view of bifoldcard.

 

My second card shows a big tree with on of my favorite 

verses from Jeremiah 17:8

The stamps for both of these cards are from Mark's Finest Papers sets.

Our Sponsor for this week is: Whimsy Stamps.

Sometimes real life gets in the way of our hobbies. That was the case with several of my Stampin' Sisters. So if you need inspiration on making a card with a tree, make sure you check out what my sisters did at

Stampin Sisters in Christ Challenges.

Look to the Lord of the Harvest

This card is for the sketch challenge at Splitcoast Stampers.  SC406 When I saw the sketch I thought this little Mark's Finest Papers pumpkin from the set called Autumn Splendor would be the perfect image. I did paper tole on the pumpkin so it has dimension. Because the pumpkin is cut out and 3-d I had to cut the tendrils off. I replaced them with Want2Scrap bling. The sentiment is from My Daydream Designs - Harvest of Gratitude set. I have been hoarding this paper for so long. I loved the colors and texture. It was time to use it today because I think it makes a fabulous background for this sentiment and pumpkin. I am going to share this card at Word Art Wednesday where we were reminded to be kind. I was reminded that kindness is a fruit of the Spirit.I am praying that the Lord of the Harvest will find the fruit of Kindness in my life.

A big, big love

The Stampin' Sisters in Christ hostess this week is the talented Michelle.

She picked this scripture to mediate on:

Eph 3:17-19 "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 read an explanation of this verse by David Wilkerson. He was saying that these verses  about being rooted and grounded was about building the foundation of our lives on the knowledge that Christ and God love us. To build that foundation we need to know how wide and how long and deep and how high that love is. When we know that we realize that God's love is enough. It made me think of a line from the song I shared last week. Grace greater than our sin. God's love is greater than our sin. It is greater than our hopes and dreams. It is greater than our short comings. It is greater than our wants or our needs. It is so hard to understand how great this love is. A love of a Father who gave his only Son to die for us, especially since it was while we were still sinners.

(Romans 5:8  But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.) 

A love of Christ who while they were taking his life said.

(Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing. Luke 23:34)

I hope you know this love because

 a love this big, deep, tall, wide, high, long... is a love that will change your life.

Michelle's challenge is to make a box or have an image of a box on your card. I decided to make a little box.

My box is a little box to hold hot cocoa. I always struggle with backgrounds for snowmen.

I didn't want just white behind him, but how to make it look like it was snowing. I could either have white on blue, or blue on white. I choose the latter. I did ink spray smashand used 3 different colors of blue. I purposely let the colors puddle so it would be blotchy, not just one solid color.

I think it worked to look like it was snowing. I printed the little snowman. I cut the top of the

ear muffs off. I replaced that with a piece of wire. 

I colored the snowman with prisma colored pencils. I added glue and glitter to the pile of

snow that he is standing in. I am going to make a total of 4 of these boxes. My daughters are both away at college. I thought it would be neat to make  a box for each of them and one for their roommates as well. 

The little snowman on my box is from The Digi Garden. which happens to be our sponsor this week. Make sure you check them out, as well as what my wonderfully creative  Stampin’ Sisters in Christ have created to share with you.
October guest designer: Tina.
Candace
Diane
Helen
Jerusha
Kris
Linda
Michelle
Miesje
Peggysue
Sandie

4 Challenge card

This card was a combination of several challenges:
1. Word Art Wednesday. This was the scripture given last Wednesday.(WOW-47)
2. The woven part is for this week's Splitcoast Stampers Technique Lover's Challenge.(TL397)
3. The colors, although really hard to tell, because my camera just couldn't get them true, were today's
    Splitcoast Stampers Color Combo challenge ( CC395)
4. And even though it is a stretch, I did start out with Mojo261 as the sketch for this card. I had to tweak it
    a little bit. I hope that you can still see it.

Stampin' Sisters in Christ -Make MUSIC from your heart to the LORD

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 – Ephesians 5:19-20

 Music has a huge influence on my family’s life. My children and I all play instruments and we all sing, and I am part of the worship team at my church. I am almost tempted to say that the WORSHIP portion of our church service is my favorite part. I can look out and see how the Holy Spirit is touching people through the songs. Over a month ago, I lost one of my dear friends at church. Her old body had finally given out. She was one who loved to sing and worship. The Sunday after she went to be with the Lord, we were singing songs about victory and heaven and I was so overcome with emotions that it was almost impossible to keep on singing, so I sang with my spirit. I could feel the Holy Spirit within me, encouraging and comforting me.

And while WORSHIP at church is definitely important, it is equally if not more important in our daily lives. I have observed that there are days when I am feeling sad or discouraged, that singing or listening to praise music will lift my spirits. I have also noticed that singing when I am happy will just increase that happiness.

The other day, I took my guitar outside and sang love songs to God. It was just God and me. I was sitting on the ground by the edge of the road. People driving by in their cars might have thought I was a little crazy, but it was a wonderful time of fellowship and praise.

We have all had the experience of that song that gets stuck in our head. That is why I have tried to encourage my children to be careful what music they listen to. The music of the world will not have the message that we want being played over and over. How much better it would be to have a song of praise “Get stuck” in our heads, reminding us again and again of God’s goodness and love.

About 10 years ago, I had a dear elderly friend who was in the hospital on her death bed. A group from our church had gone to sing songs and hymns to her. We started singing the old song "VICTORY IN JESUS". As we sang, she sang along with us and her husband leaned over and raised her hands so she could praise God. I hope that when it comes my time to leave this Earth, that I go with a song in my heart praising my God!

My challenge this week is to use some element of music on your cards or projects.

For my card I started with a paper doily, a very small piece of green cardstock (leaves for flowers) and  a 1/2 sheet of blue cardstock. The rest was white cardstock and typing paper. I colored and quilled the roses and after I printed the sheet music, I ink spray and smashed it! I took a piece of wire and strung some loose pearls on it. The bling for the butterfly's trail is from my hoarded stash of Want 2 Scrap bling. The butterfly  is  from a Mark's Finest Papers stamp called Daffodil Greetings.

I love using some of the old hymns on my projects.I like to use hymns that are public domain because there isn't any copyright issues. I get my sheet music from Timeless Truths.  The other day I made a tutorial showing how I use Timeless Truths to print the sheet music: HERE. 

Our wonderful sponsor this week is Fred She Said. Make sure you check them out!

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

This is what I have been listening to this week. It was what I was singing by the side of the road, and it was the inspiration for my card this week.

sheet music tutorial

 I did a series of screen captures with arrows and directions for printing sheet music from
 Timeless Truths. If you need to see the screen captures bigger you can click on the individual pictures.

You will get a full size sheet of music. You can stop here and use as is, or you can go a little further and be able to resize it to what ever size you want. For that I use Microsoft Word.

 I used my scanner to scan it into Microsoft Word.

MFP September Blog hop - Day 4 - Tweet That

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

   September Blog Hop! 

This month's New Stamp Set Releases are

Buried Treasure Featured September 25
Going Batty Featured September 26
Autumn Splendor Featured September 27
Tweet That Featured September 28

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 September 29, 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 September 28, 2012.

I had so much fun with the paper porcelain technique for yesterday's project, I thought I would make another with that technique. I did the little birdhouse. Before the layers were dry I stuck a paper clip in to make a hanger. I am going to send this to my daughter to hang in her dorm window.  I hope you have been inspired by the projects that you have seen this week. I know I have been looking at what everyone has created. I hope you have a blessed day.

MFP blog hop day 3 - Autumn Splendor - Porcelain Paper Leaves Pin

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

   September Blog Hop! 

This month's New Stamp Set Releases are

Buried Treasure Featured September 25
Going Batty Featured September 26
Autumn Splendor Featured September 27
Tweet That Featured September 28

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 September 29, 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 September 28, 2012.

 

This is my favorite of this month's sets. I love Fall. It is my favorite time of year. I spent quite awhile today admiring a tree across the road. For the past few days it has slowly turned from green to a bright yellow. Sometimes I have to look at a stamp set and really think of how I am going to use it. This time, however, this wasn't the case. I immediately looked these leaves and acorns and knew I was going to use Paper Porcelain technique. For those of you who don't know what that is, you glue three layers of cardstock together, stamp and color the image on the top layer, and then cut it out before the glue dries. I like to shape the cardstock over my fingers to give it some dimension. Then I spread a thin layer of glue over the surface of the top layer. I let it dry and then add a second layer of glue. When everything dries, which can take a couple of hours, the finished result is a hard shiny piece. I glued a pin back to the back of my leaves. I had more photos of the pin, but they got lost in cyber space somewhere between my phone to my computer. If they ever arrive I will put them into this post. 

I had printed this digi from Daydream Designs last week and it was sitting on my desk. I had placed the pin near it while I was letting it dry, and I just KNEW I had to put the pin on this card. I am going to give this pin and card to my friend who is caring for  her elderly mother. The stress that she has been going through has been hard on her health and on her marriage. I just wanted to encourage her to keep doing what is good and right!

September MFP blog hop -Going Batty

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

   September Blog Hop! 

This month's New Stamp Set Releases are

Buried Treasure Featured September 25
Going Batty Featured September 26
Autumn Splendor Featured September 27
Tweet That Featured September 28

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 September 29, 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 September 28, 2012.

I'll tell you up front, that I don't celebrate Halloween. There is too much "evil" associated with that day for me to feel comfortable celebrating it. My family and I have chosen instead to celebrate FALL as an alternative. And our church has a big celebration each year with hundreds of kids coming to celebrate FALL.

. 

That being said, I do like the little bats in this set. They are just adorable. not scary or "evil" at all. Just more of God's amazing creatures. Just a few interesting things about bats... they are the only flying mammal... most eat bugs and insects (a single brown bat can eat around 1200 mosquitos  in one hour)., they sleep upside down..the use echolocation and .some hibernate while others do a temporary hibernation called torpor. 

Living where I do, it isn't far to the caves that were the inspiration for Mark Twain's  novel, Tom Sawyer. A couple of years ago, my husband and I took our kids to the caves. As you walk along the path in the caves, you can see the bats hanging on the walls. I have also seen the bats at Carlsbad Caverns, Star's Cave and under the Congress Avenue Bridge in Austin TX. You kinda expect bats when you are at these places, but the bat that makes me laugh and smile lives in our local Theatre. Once when my daughter was on stage, she was upstaged by the bat. He came swooping down from the rafters and was dive bombing the people in the balcony. My daughter hadn't seen the bat come out and she thought that people were laughing and screaming at her.

The poem on my bat card says:

Little Bat
(I don't know the author or I would  give them credit)

Little Bat
Small and furry,
little bat,
fly through the sky at night.

Listen, listen
little bat
as echos guide your flight

Swoop and dive
little bat
catch insects as you fly.

Hurry, hurry
little bat
back to your nearby cave

Snug and warm
little bat
toes hold the ceiling light

Sleepy, sleepy
little bat
wrapped in your wings until night.

 

Card details: I ink spray smashed the cardstock. I printed the poem on the one panel. I heat embossed stars and random dots. I sewed the panels. The bats were stamped, colored and cut out. I added a paper spring to both of them to give them dimension. To add to their dimension, I folded the wings of both bats along the first line after the body. That one thing really gives them a 3-d look. 

I hope you are enjoying all the wonderful samples that the other ladies on the design team have for your inspiration.
Have a Blessed Day!!

September MFP Blog hop day 1- Buried Treasure

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

   September Blog Hop! 

This month's New Stamp Set Releases are

Buried Treasure Featured September 25
Going Batty Featured September 26
Autumn Splendor Featured September 27
Tweet That Featured September 28

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 September 29, 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 September 28, 2012.

At first when I saw this set, I was thinking, hmmm. pirates... not really my style. But as I started making this card I really started having fun with this set. I stamped the images onto a brown paper bag. I then took matches and burned the edges. I used chalk to color the map image. I heat embossed some gold ep for the "treasure" I also cut a second treasure chest and have it on a paper spring to give it some dimension
I decided to make a "Z" fold card. I did faux stitching with white colored pencil. I made this card with a particular friend in mind. She is going through a really rough time and could use some
"EncOURRRagement" (That is me trying to type Pirate)
I hope you enjoy what the designers have created for your inspirtation.

origami box

Scripture: Psa 139:14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.

Hostess: Linda

Challenge:  create a card/project with something handmade on it - could be a flower, stitching, patterned paper - show us your creativity!

Sponsor: A Day for Daisies -

 I made a little origami box. The little girl on the box was an image from A Day for Daisies. The part of my box that satisfies, Linda's challenge is the box itself and the little hand quilled roses. I had more photos that showed how I made the roses, but I spent all day at another marching band competition and had a 3 hour drive back home and I'm just too tired to post them tonight. Hopefully after a night of rest I will be able to add them. Check out what my Stampin’ Sisters in Christ have created to share with you.
Candace
Diane
Helen
Jerusha
Kris
Linda
Then there is me!!!! Michelle
Miesje
Peggysue
Sandie
Traci

Daydream Designs blog hop

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

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.

 MY PROJECT:

I used two of the leaves from Fall Is In the Air set. I cut them out. colored them and shaped them to give them dimension.

Now check out what
Miesje 
has to show you.

Galatians 6:9

Hostess:
Kris

This week's scripture:
Galatians 6:9 "So let's not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up."

This week's challenge:
Make a Harvest card or Fall/Autumn

This week's Sponsor:

Sweet n' Sassy 

Here is my card. I'm keeping it short and sweet this week because this has been a very hectic week. It was another week of losses. I needed 4 sympathy cards. I think I have made more sympathy cards in the last 2 months than I made in the past 2 years. This one will go to my pastor. His grandfather died this week. This was made using the pounded flowers technique. For this card I pounded goldenrod. I like how it turned out, but I found out that goldenrod is kinda messy, and that I must be a little allergic because after smashing the goldenrod, I was itching all over for an hour.

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

All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God

Our wonderful sponsor this week is:  The Craft's Meow

This week our hostess is a sweetheart and my friend, Jerusha. 

This is the scripture that she choose for us:

Romans 3:23-24 " For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins."

I'm a sinner and so are you. Have you ever noticed that it is a lot easier for people to notice the sins in other people's lives than it is to see their own sin. A lot of people I know think "I'm not really a bad person. At least I haven't ever killed somebody, or stolen anything." That may be true, but sin whether big or small separates us from God. ALL of us have failed. Yes, some have failed more than others, but it is crucial to remember that God isn't looking at how we do compared to others, he is looking to see what we do with the gift of salvation that was bought for us with Christ's blood. 

Jerusha's CHALLENGE was to make a card using bright colors, no neutrals 

I think this was one of the hardest challenges for me in a LONG time. I pulled the scraps and colors together for this card, when my son walked by. He asked what the challenge was. He said "Mom, the panel with the faux patina is a little on the neutral side." I just told him that it wasn't neutral, it was just pale yellow, but he is right. It is sort of a neutral color.  I also used white on the baby's breath, but my justification there was, white is a bright color. If you don't believe me just look out at a snowy field with the sun shining, and I am sure you will agree that WHITE can be very bright. .

This card was made for a very special friend of mine.Two weeks ago, her husband died suddenly at the age of 46 of a heart attack. Last night she came to the local football game and sat with me. I'm not sure how anniversaries came up in the conversation, but it did and I found out that this month, she and her husband would have been married 22 years. I knew right away that I needed to make a special card for her. I have a lot of stamps. (If you ask my husband, too many stamps and I don't need any more.) but the one set that I go to over and over again for sympathy cards is my favorite Verve set Forever in our Hearts.  One of the sentiments says "Remembering with you on this difficult anniversary." It seemed to be the perfect sentiment to use on this card. I used this sketch from Mojo Monday. MOJO257.  Last week someone left me a comment on my blog asking how I mail cards that have dimension, like the roses on this one. I am putting together a tutorial to show how I make a mailing box to mail my cards in. I should have that done in a day or two so make sure you check back to check that out.

 

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

MFP Featured designer

Today I am excited to share that I am the featured designer on the Mark's Finest Papers blog.

I shared with them a tutorial on how to make your own pearls.

This is the card the showcases those pearls.

Happy Birthday

 As a Christian, I have two birthdays, the physical day that I was born, in May of 1967 and the spiritual one, in June of 1980. The first one, I have no memories of, but the second one changed my life and I have lots of memories of that day.

 I love celebrating birthdays. I love to bake cakes, give cards and gifts, and I love to sing happy birthday.
Interesting fact about the Happy Birthday song. It was written by two sisters,  Mildred and Patty Hill. They wrote the song to be used as a goodmorning greeting song in a kindergarten classroom.

Growing up, there were two birthday parties that stand out in my memory. One was when I was in 3rd grade. My mom threw me a Mickey Mouse themed birthday party. To end the party she had created a treasure hunt. I thought that was so much fun.She put so much effort into that treasure hunt. The "treasure"
 of that day has been forgotten, but the love my mom put into that celebration has not.

The second one was a surprise party for my 18th birthday. My mom did such a good job of keeping it a secret, that my first thought, when I saw my friends on my door step at dinner time was "How nice for them to come wish me a happy birthday, but we were just sitting down to dinner." Then I realized they were there for dinner. As I have gotten older, a lot of my friends don't want to celebrate their birthdays because it reminds them that they are getting older. I don't really understand this way of thinking, because I see them as a celebration of life. The more you have the longer you live.

Birthdays are wonderful times to celebrate life, but you know what is even better? UNBIRTHDAYS. I love the Disney movie, Alice in Wonderland. I love it when they sing the UNBIRTHDAY  SONG. The premise of that song is... why should we celebrate only one day a year... birthdays... when we could celebrate 364... unbirthdays? 
Having said that...
This Sunday is SSiC's 3rd Birthday and we invite you to celebrate with us by way of a Birthday Blog Hop!! Helen is our lovely challenge hostess. The challenge is to make a birthday card and is inspired by this

Scripture: John 3:3 "Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." Please be sure to read Helen's devotional on this Scripture on our challenge blog! 

Our challenge sponsor is Verses, who is donating a $15 Gift Card to one random participant in our card challenge (please link your card in our Linky) and as always, we will pick 3 Shining Stars who's cards will be showcased the following Tuesday on our blog!

And now for the Blog Hop! We will pick 3 random winners who complete the hop and who leave a comment on all our DT's blogs! Hoppers do not have to make a card and enter our challenge, although we'd love it if they did!

Hoppers could win one of the following: $20 GC to Daydream Designs,
3 Free digis from The Digi Garden,
and 3 digi sets from Carly's Cuties Winners from the blog hop will be announced on Tuesday, Sept. 11th along with our challenge winner and Shining Stars.
Here's the order... Happy Hoppin'!! SSiC --

Start Here
Candace
Diane
Helen
Jerusha
Kris
Laura
Linda
Then there is me!!!!
Michelle
Miesje
Peggysue
Sandie
Traci
and end up at The Stampin' Sisters in Christ Challenge blog.