Sneak Peek - Watermelon card.

This is for Splitcoast Free for all challenge to make a card that represented SUMMER to us. When I was little I remember eating watermelon at my grandma's house in the summer. She would cut us pieces and give us knives to eat the watermelons with. My great grandma, who lived to be 99 years old would always cut out the heart of the watermelon. She always said, when you have lived as long as I have you can do what you want. This watermelon stamp is a sneak peek at a set that will be released next week, by Mark's Finest Papers, called Planted with Love. I combined it with the checkerboard strip from another Mark's Finest Papers set called Snowman Country. The green panel, I ink spray smashed. I tried to get it to look like the outside of a watermelon. The checked paper I made using Excel. I made the cells square and colored them in a checkerboard pattern.

1" circle punch. Red and Green

Star punch for "BITE"

I put glue on back of red piece and glued off center to green piece.

I used a MS border punch as a mask for the seeds.

See how the leaves of the flowers kinda look like seeds?

I placed the mask over the watermelon.

I colored in the leaf area with black colored pencil.

What is missing?

Psalm 46:10 Be still and know that I am God.

What a great reminder to be still and spend time with God. I know that my summer has been BUSY! Some of that business is just wasted time, and some of it is doing good things, but even good things if they keep me too busy to spend time with God are not good. Lord help me to make spending time with you this week a priority!

Outside

Inside

The challenge this week was to make a CAS card. I really struggled with this. I tend to make life more complicated than it needs to be. I used my Layers of Color creative flourish stamp on some ink spray and smashed paper and used my puzzle die cut to make the card. The sentiments were made using my computer.
This last week we had VBS at our Church. We shared the gospel simply with the kids.

1. We are all sinners.

2.We deserved death.

3. God loves us.

4.God sent Jesus to live a perfect life.

5. Jesus took our punishment by dying for us.

6. God brought Jesus back to life.

7. We can have salvation by asking Jesus to be our Savior.

8. Live for God.

Check out what my Stampin' Sisters in Christ have created.

Chris Grace Kris Linda Lisa Miesje Pegggysue Rebekka Sabrina

Great Spangled Fritillary- I think

The butterfly at the top of this post, was dead when it fluttered next to my daughter's feet. She was fueling her truck up at the gas station when she noticed it. She picked it up and brought it home to me. It is gorgeous with it's little spots of silver on the wing. Wow, what a wonderful creation that God made. I spent a lot of time looking at butterfly images trying to determine what kind of butterfly. I narrowed it down to a couple of choices and my son Joshua and I thought it most resembled the Great Spangled Fritillary butterfly. I really wish I knew an entemologist so I could know for sure. I made two cards using my Mark's Finest Papers butterfly from the set DAFFODIL AND ANISE. I tried to mimic the real thing. I really like how both of these cards turned out. The top card used SC339 sketch and the second one used MOJO197.

Thank you Sunflowers

Miesje picked this verse for this week’s devotional.

Galatians 5:1 "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. "

What a wonderful blessing to be free. I love THIS song by the Newsboys. We sing it often at our church. What an admonition to stand firm and not become slaves again. I spent sometime thinking about ways that we can be slaves.
To me it seems that as a society we prefer the word addiction to slavery. I have a friend and coworker who is a slave to smoking. Just this last week we had a conversation about how she would like to quit, but how her addiction controls her life. I have another friend who is a slave to alcohol. She knows that it is bad for her, but she still drinks. I’ll admit it is easier to see other’s slavery than it is to see my own. It made me think of the following scripture from Matthew 7:1-5 1 “Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. 3 And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? 5 Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
So I asked God to show me my plank. What are my addictions? As hard as it is to admit it, I struggle with my slavery to food and my slavery to my computer. As soon as I wake up I think about food. I think about food all day long. This slavery to food has added extra weight and health problems like high blood pressure.
My addiction to my computer became evident to me the other day when we lost internet all day because a cable was cut. I found myself going to the computer to check several times to see if it was back.
It seems that I justify my addictions by comparing them to others. I want to think that mine aren’t as bad as others, because:
1. I have to eat, everyone has to eat.
2. I need my computer to get my work done.
When does something that we need become our master? When it takes priority in our lives to the will of God. My prayer this week is that Christ will take first place in my life, and that the Holy Spirit is the controlling force for my days.

The challenge this week is to make a red white and blue thank you card. The winner will get 3 digis from Ginger Loft. Tami gave me this digi to make my card. I love butterflies and sunflowers so I had a lot of fun making this card. Last year my kids and I saw some red sunflowers growing by a barn.

This is a close up of one of the sunflowers.

I used burnt Aleene's tacky glue technique for the center of my flowers.
Check out what my Stampin' Sisters in Christ have created.

Chris

Grace

Kris

Linda

Lisa

Miesje

Pegggysue

Rebekka

Sabrina

Happy Father's Day! I hope everyone has said... "I love you." and "Thank you." to their dads if they still have them around.

“You’ve got to see it to believe it.” Have you ever heard that expression? I have a story to share with you. When I was little I was blessed to live near my grandparents and my cousins. One day my sister, my brother and I were playing ball with our cousins in my grandparent’s big back yard. Our game got interrupted when the ball rolled near my grandparent’s Airstream trailer that they stored in their yard for when they went camping. My cousin Alissa touched the trailer as she was reaching for the ball. As soon as she did that, she got a shocking jolt. She jumped back and screamed “I’ve just been shocked!” We gathered around her and taunted “Did not!”, “Did too!” was her response. One by one we ALL had to touch that trailer and get shocked because we had to SEE FOR OURSELVES.

My daughters and I love watching crime tv shows, like CSI. (Probably because my dad is a forensic pathologist and my brother works as a tech in a crime lab.) In all these shows there is a common theme. The police have an idea who committed the crime, but it is their job to collect enough EVIDENCE that the jury will SEE and BELIEVE them.


The scripture I choose to share with you this week is:

Hebrews 11:1 Now FAITH is the substance of things hoped for, the EVIDENCE of things unseen. (KJV)


How do we get the kind of Faith that is so strong that it is our evidence? The Bible says in Romans 10:17 “So then Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” That is how it starts. We can read the Bible. We can then ask the Lord to help our Faith to grow. Like the apostles did (Luke 17:5 And the apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our Faith.”) and like the father of the possessed child did ( Mark 9:24 Immediately the boy’s father cried out and said, “I do BELIEVE; help my unbelief.”)

My prayer is that God will strengthen your faith this week. My challenge for you is to make a card that shows the “EVIDENCE” that you were the creator by doodling on your card. Here are a few suggestions to get you started: dots, swirls, lines, and faux stitching… I look forward to seeing what you create.


I stamped Mark's Finest Papers- Poppies,poppies,poppies and did paper tole with Aleene's burnt glue for the centers. My doodling is very subtle. I doodled with a black pen around the edges of the lighter brown dp. I used my scalloped border punch along the blue panel and around the circle for the Stampin B's challenge to use a border punch.

Here is a close up on a piece of gray cardstock so that you could see what the doodle looks like. It is a dot with a line that I call the ER Life line machine. It is a straight line with a squiggle and a straight line. I really like this kind of doodle because you don't have to be exact. If your straight line isn't exactly straight that is ok and if the squiggle is different from the other squiggles that is ok too.

Our wonderful sponsor this week is Our Daily Bread Designs.

Check out what my Stampin' Sisters in Christ have created.

Chris

Grace

Kris

Linda

Lisa

Miesje

Pegggysue

Rebekka

Sabrina

Stampin' Sisters in Christ challenge - Father's day cards

For this week's Stampin' Sisters in Christ challenge the scripture that Lisa chose was:

(Eph 6:2-4 NRSV) "Honor your father and mother"--this is the first commandment with a promise: {3} "so that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth." {4} And, fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.


What kind of father do you have or did you have? Kind? Mean? Rich? Poor? Smart? Dumb? Caring? Critical? There are all kinds of earthly fathers, and no matter how hard they try they aren't perfect. Still God doesn't just ask, but commands us to honor them. He gives us a promise with this commandment "So that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth." I know lots of people that harbor anger against their parents,. Sometimes that anger is justified, sometimes it isn't. This scripture admonishes the fathers to not provoke your children in anger. The bad thing about holding on to anger and unforgiveness is that it destroys your health. It hurts the person holding on to the anger way more than it hurts the person that they are angry at, still Satan encourages us to be angry. God wants us to forgive our parents and honor them for the position that He placed them in. Not for their good, although if we are obedient, I think they will benifit as well, but the main reason is for our good. God knows what is best for us, even we don't understand, or it goes contrary to what the world says.

The challenge this week was to make a Father's day card or a card that honor our Heavenly father. I chose to make a Father's day card for my father Phillip. Growing up my dad loved collecting western themed artwork. These images made me think of him.

The sponsor this week is Simon Says Stamp.

Check out what my Stampin' Sisters in Christ have created.

Chris

Grace

Kris

Linda

Lisa

Miesje

Pegggysue

Rebekka

Sabrina

Mark's Finest Papers June Blog Hop- Floating Along

Hello! Welcome to the June 2011 MFP New Releases Blog Hop!

This week's new releases are: All Aboard, Poppies Poppies Poppies, Sand Surf Relax, and Floating Along.

For your convenience, all these sets are available TODAY at Mark's Finest Papers.

So, do you want to WIN today's Featured Stamp Set: Floating Along? (If you don't want to wait to win, you can always purchase the sets right away! We'll substitute a set from NEXT month's release if today's winner has already purchased this set!)

For your chance to win: Comment on the following Design Team members' blogs TODAY before midnight EDT. There will be ONE random winner chosen from the comments on today's Blog Hop blogs. That winner will win Floating Along. We will announce the winner's name on tomorrow's blog post.

Emily
Nancyruth
Neva
Silvia
Faith
Claudine
Dawn
Marilynn
Patricia
Chrissy
Karen
Pam
Joanne
Kittie
Sharon-Guest Designer for June
Mark’s Finest Papers

Mark's Finest Papers Sand Surf Relax blog hop

Hello! Welcome to the June 2011 MFP New Releases Blog Hop!

This week's new releases are: All Aboard, Poppies Poppies Poppies, Sand Surf Relax, and Floating Along.

For your convenience, all these sets are available TODAY at Mark's Finest Papers.

So, do you want to WIN today's Featured Stamp Set: Sand Surf Relax? (If you don't want to wait to win, you can always purchase the sets right away! We'll substitute a set from NEXT month's release if today's winner has already purchased this set!)

For your chance to win: Comment on the following Design Team members' blogs TODAY before midnight EDT. There will be ONE random winner chosen from the comments on today's Blog Hop blogs. That winner will win Sand, Surf, Relax. We will announce the winner's name on tomorrow's blog post.

Emily
Nancyruth
Neva
Silvia
Faith
Claudine
Dawn
Marilynn (You are here)
Patricia
Chrissy
Karen
Pam
Joanne
Kittie
Sharon-Guest Designer for June
Mark’s Finest Papers

This is my card using this marvelous set. Last week I had a dream about it. (That is when you know that stamping and card making take up a big part of your life when you dream about them.) I pictured a polaroid photo that someone might have taken on their vacation before digital photos. :) (So I was thinking old people like me!!) I stamped the shells and colored them by watercoloring. I cut them out and used porcelain paper technique on them. I also shaped and curved them so that they resembled real shells. The background was brown paper that I crinkled up and distressed the edges to make it look like an old treasure map. I doodled around the edges and made that "X" all treasure maps have. I added raffia to look like grass that might be growing along the shore and I added twine with a figure 8 knot. I made this masculine card as a thank you note for my sons' boy scout leader. He took them camping this last weekend and had to put up with a lot with high temperatures, high humidity and rain in the tents... I really appreciate all that the voluteers with boy scouts do!! They are amazing!

Mark's Finest Papers June blog hop day 2

Hello! Welcome to the June 2011 MFP New Releases Blog Hop!

This week's new releases are: All Aboard, Poppies Poppies Poppies, Sand Surf Relax, and Floating Along.

For your convenience, all these sets are available TODAY at Mark's Finest Papers.

So, do you want to WIN today's Featured Stamp Set: Poppies, Poppies, Poppies? (If you don't want to wait to win, you can always purchase the sets right away! We'll substitute a set from NEXT month's release if the winner has already purchased this set!)

For your chance to win: Comment on the following Design Team members' blogs TODAY before midnight EDT. There will be ONE random winner chosen from the comments on today's Blog Hop blogs. That winner will win POPPIES, POPPIES, POPPIES. We will announce the winner's name on tomorrow's blog post.

Lois
Dawn
Anne
Peggysue
Connie
Emily
Karen
Patty
Roxie
Vicki
Liz
Geri
Lynn
Lagene-Guest Designer for June
Mark’s Finest Papers



This is my card for the hop. It is another 6 fold card. I really like how it turned out.

This may just be one of my favorite stamps set of all times. I have already shown you some of these cards, but for the hop, I put them all in this one post so that you could see them all together.

MFP June blog hop day 1

Hello! Welcome to the June 2011 MFP New Releases Blog Hop!

This week's new releases are: All Aboard, Poppies Poppies Poppies, Sand Surf Relax, and Floating Along.

For your convenience, all these sets are available TODAY at Mark's Finest Papers.

So, do you want to WIN today's Featured Stamp Set: All Aboard? (If you don't want to wait to win, you can always purchase the sets right away! We'll substitute a set from NEXT month's release if today's winner has already purchased this set!)

For your chance to win: Comment on the following Design Team members' blogs TODAY before midnight EDT. There will be ONE random winner chosen from the comments on today's Blog Hop blogs. That winner will win ALL ABOARD. We will announce the winner's name on tomorrow's blog post.

Lois
Dawn
Anne
Peggysue
Connie
Emily
Karen
Patty
Roxie
Vicki
Liz
Geri
Lynn
Lagene-Guest Designer for June
Mark’s Finest Papers


My card for today is another 6 fold card that I made using the All Aboard set. The belly band has the railroad tracks and the crossing sign. Here are the views of my card:

This is a card I made last week using this set. This is such a versitile set.

MOJO194 Poppies Birthday Card

I made this birthday card using MOJO194 sketch. I made this for my friend Lindsey who has her sweet 16th birthday today. It uses Mark's Finest Papers set called Poppies, Poppies, Poppies. It is going to be released tomorrow. Check back tomorrow for June's blog hop.

Stampin' Sisters in Christ Challenge for 6-5-11

A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. John 13:34-35

This is the scripture that Linda choose for this week.
The first thing I noticed about this passage was the word "commandment". Not just a good idea, not just a suggestion, not something you do if you feel like it... No it is a commandment. Something we MUST do. Especially if we are followers of Christ.
This isn't always easy. God places people in our lives that we just don't "FEEL" like loving. This was very evident to me this last week. Sunday night, a group of teenagers vandelized our house with toilet paper, chocolate syrup and peanut butter. It was such a mess. It was made even more serious with the fact that my daughter is extremely allergic to peanut butter. I can tell you that I didn't "FEEL" like loving them. I was angry and upset and I didn't "FEEL" like praying for them or forgiving them. I had to ask God to give me the strength to do it. Is there someone that you need to pray for, or forgive? You can ask God to give you strength through his holy spirit. He doesn't command us to do the impossible without giving us the strength to do it.


Matthew 19:26
And looking at them Jesus said to them, “ With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

The challenge this week was to use something new on our cards. I used a new stamp set called Poppies, Poppies, Poppies. It will be released this week by Mark's Finest Papers. I hope you like the sneak peek at this set. I used an old technique in a NEW way on the center of the flowers. Many years ago Aleene used Aleene's tacky glue and burned it with a candle to make the glue bubble and harden like leather. Instead of using a candle, I used my heat gun. I put a drop of Aleene's tacky glue to the centers of my flowers and I heated it right away before it dried. The glue bubbles up and then goes back down and it gives a lot of texture.

CLOSE UP VIEW OF BURNT GLUE

Check out what my Stampin' Sisters in Christ have created.

Chris

Grace

Kris

Linda

Lisa

Miesje

Pegggysue

Rebekka

Sabrina

Technique Lovers Challenge Hostess TLC327

If you are looking for the Stampin' Sisters in Christ Challenge Scroll down to next post.

My friend Holly asked me to be the hostess for Splitcoast Stampers' Technique Lovers Challenge. I was very excited to be asked. I put together this video tutorial showing how

I made my 6 fold cards. I was inspired by this card by Nikki. The couple of cards that I have made using this technique have been met with great reviews by the recipients. I think everyone loves cards that "DO" something.

SSIC91 Ecclesiastes 3:14

This week's Stampin' Sisters in Christ scripture comes from Ecclesiastes 3:14
"I know that everything God does will remain forever; there is nothing to add to it and there is nothing to take from it, for God has so worked that men should fear Him."
This verse follows the verses that talk about the seasons of life that we go through...
There is an appointed time for everything.
And there is a time for every event under heaven—
A time to give birth and a time to die;
A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted.
A time to kill and a time to heal;
A time to tear down and a time to build up.
A time to weep and a time to laugh;
A time to mourn and a time to dance.
A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace and a time to shun embracing.
A time to search and a time to give up as lost;
A time to keep and a time to throw away.
A time to tear apart and a time to sew together;
A time to be silent and a time to speak.
A time to love and a time to hate;
A time for war and a time for peace.

When we go through happy seasons we sometimes take God's control of the situation for granted, but when we come into a sad season, we sometimes question why God allows them to happen. With the tornado that hit Joplin, and with the earthquake that hit Japan, with so many people hurt, I am sure there are those who asked why God allowed those things to happen. I don't know the answer to that question. The question of "WHY?", I am sure, has been asked by everyone of every generation. Solomon was trying to figure out the Whys. Solomon's answer, "I know that everything God does will remain forever; there is nothing to add to it and there is nothing to take from it, for God has so worked that men should fear Him." shows that he was aware that God is in control, men don't have the power to add or take away from God's will. I find such comfort in this thought. No matter what is going on, my God is still in control!! When I feel out of control, I can rest knowing that my God is still in control. When I am sad or lonely, my God is still in control... Do you see a pattern? I just need to be reminded of this truth from time to time!

The challenge this week is a sketch challenge.

Here is my card using this sketch.

Check out what my Stampin' Sisters in Christ have created.

Chris

Grace

Kris

Linda

Lisa

Miesje

Pegggysue

Rebekka

Sabrina

American Made collage

I made this card for 2 challenges: Ways to Use it Challenge to use stars. and Stampin' B's challenge to make a collage card. I used the images from Mark's Finest Papers set called AMERICAN MADE. If you had told me a couple of years ago that I would be making collage cards, I would have laughed. They were extremely hard for me to make. They are getting a little easier. I just try to think of different textures. On this card the lace, corderoy, raffia, twine and charm add a lot of different texture. Sewing also helps add to the collage feeling.

I made this card for this week's Card Patterns 116 sketch by Nina Brackett. I also made this for the color combo challenge 324 at SCS. My camera had a hard time capturing the true colors of this card. (Overcast day no sunshine... hate taking photos without natural lighting.) I used Mark's Finest Papers sets... Brick Wall and Daffodil and Anise. I also tried my first french bow on this card. I really struggled with it. I hope practice makes perfect! Have a blessed day!

Stampin' Sisters in Christ Proverbs 10:20-21

Proverbs 10:20-21 "The tongue of the righteous is as choice silver, the heart of the wicked is worth little. The lips of the righteous feed many, but fools die for lack of understanding.”

Last week I talked about being in the valley. This week I felt like I was walking through the lowest valley, I have experienced. I was away from my computer for several days so I wasn’t able to comment on a lot of cards this week. For 3 days, I helped my husband take some of our trucking equipment to auction. We had hoped that the results of the auction would help our trucking company survive. I watched the auction on-line and as one by one our trucks were auctioned off, I kept saying “Big Money” and hoping that they would sell for a lot. They didn’t.

It made me think of this song by Nicole Nordeman called Gratitude.

Daily bread, give us daily bread.

Bless our bodies, keep our children fed
Fill our cups, then fill them up again tonight
Wrap us up and warm us through
Tucked away beneath our sturdy roofs
Let us slumber safe from danger's view this time
Or maybe not, not today
Maybe You'll provide in other ways
And if that's the case . . .
We'll give thanks to You
With gratitude
A lesson learned to hunger after You
That a starry sky offers a better view if no roof is overhead And if we never taste that bread
Oh, the differences that often are between
What we want and what we really need
...But Jesus, would You please . . .

The phrase “Maybe you’ll provide in other ways” went through my head. I still have faith that God will provide, but it is hard when it is ALL on faith, no sight of what He is planning. I would like to say that as soon as I said "I trust you God" that all my problems went away and I was happy and singing and the perfect Christian woman. Instead I was still struggling to hold my ground against a wall of depression that was closing in on me. Last night, I felt like my “Perfect family” was falling apart. My kids were fighting, my husband was in the other room depressed himself and I was overwhelmed with sadness. If ever I needed encouraging words, it was last night. I spent hours crying out to God, literally. My oldest daughter came into my room, hugged me and spoke words of encouragement and hope to me. Her words were like the treasure of choice silver that I imagine Solomon was thinking about when he wrote the words to this proverb.

Grace has challenged us to make an encouragement card for someone with a touch of silver on it. The sponsor this week is My Favorite Things.

I decided to make my encouragement card in the form of a get well card. I made this one Jim, who is one of our drivers who had open heart sugery this last week. I used the 6 fold technique. The truck was from Mark's Finest Papers set called Big Boy Toys.

Check out what my Stampin' Sisters in Christ have created.

Chris

Grace

Kris

Linda

Lisa

Miesje

Pegggysue

Rebekka

Sabrina

Stampin' Sisters In Christ - 5-15-11

I will lift my eyes to the mountains –
Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord,
The Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip.

He who watches over you will not slumber;
Indeed, He who watches over Israel will
Neither slumber nor sleep.
Psalm 121 1-4

The contemporary Christian music artist, Chris August has a song called Canyons. The first part goes. “…Mountains and valleys the ups and the downs I go through. I will rejoice in you Jesus no matter the view.” Isn’t that an awesome thought? God allows us to go through Mountains and Valleys, ups and downs.

It is my opinion that the author of this Psalm knew what it was like to be in the valley. “I LIFT MY EYES TO THE MOUNTAINS”. The only way you can lift your eyes to the mountains is when you are in the valley. If you were on the mountain and lifted your eyes, you would see sky.

“WHERE DOES MY HELP COME FROM?” It has been my experience that I am more ready to ask for help when I have reached the bottom of the valley, than when I am on the mountain. When I am on the mountain I tend to get complacent and I take God’s help for granted, but when I am hurting, and I know I can’t fix things on my own, I cry out “HELP!!!!!”

I love the answer to the previous question.

“MY HELP COMES FROM THE LORD. THE MAKER OF HEAVEN AND EARTH!” In the evenings, my family gathers together in our living room. There isn’t enough space for everyone to have a seat so sometimes we end up on the floor. When I get down on the floor, I need assistance to get up.(I’m not as young as I use to be.) When I ask for help, I don’t ask my youngest son, because he isn’t strong enough, yet, to help me. I ask my oldest son, who is almost 6 ft tall. He has the power and strength to help me. In the same way, when I am down in the valley. I don’t want help from this world. This world doesn’t have the strength. I want help from the All-powerful God. The very God who created everything.

“HE WILL NOT LET YOUR FOOT SLIP” Have you ever been mountain climbing? I grew up in Arizona and I loved climbing mountains. Sometimes when you climb the path is wide and fairly easy to climb. At other times, the path gets really narrow. If your foot were to slip at these times, you could plummet down the mountain and be seriously hurt, if not killed. When reading this verse, I imagined climbing out of the valley and being on that narrow path. How comforting that God is watching over me and won’t let my foot slip! He is protecting me and keeping me safe.

“HE WHO WATCHES OVER YOU WILL NOT SLUMBER; INDEED, HE WHO WATCHES OVER ISRAEL WILL NEITHER SLUMBER NOR SLEEP.” Living in a small town in Iowa, I don’t have many fears when night falls and I try to sleep. The town is fairly peaceful. When 10 o’clock comes, even the traffic lights go from their regular cycle to flashing red lights. There is almost no traffic on the streets. I have lived in a big city though. When I lived in Phoenix, Arizona, it wasn’t nearly as peaceful. I lived downtown, and I heard police sirens all night long and at least once a night I would hear the Police helicopters fly over my apartment. Traffic never stopped. There was always someone on the roads. But even all that chaos can't compare to what some people endure. I can’t imagine living in a war zone. I can’t imagine trying to sleep knowing that the “Enemy” could attack at any time. I think the only way I would be able to sleep is if someone was standing guard. I would want someone responsible, who wouldn’t fall asleep, and who would wake me if there was any trouble. Well, while I don’t live in a physical war zone, I do live in a spiritual war zone. I am glad that I have a protector who watches over me all the time aren’t you?

The challenge this week is to make a card with a tea/coffee cup or pot.

I used my FLORAL TEA set by Mark’s Finest Papers. I stamped it with black stazon and water colored the flowers. I then used porcelain paper technique on the cups. When they were dry I added craft foam behind them to make them have dimension. When I saw what the challenge was, this joke came to my mind and I just had to use it. I used my computer to print it. I made a pocket on the inside to hold a teabag.





The sponsor this week is The Craft's Meow. The prize will be a stamp set designed by the talented Nina Brackett.

Check out what my Stampin' Sisters in Christ have created.

Chris

Grace

Kris

Linda

Lisa

Miesje

Pegggysue

Rebekka

Sabrina

Card for Zach -MFP BLOG HOP day 4 - American Made

The card that I made for the hop today is for a very special little boy named Zach. Zach, is in my cub scout pack. I was his leader last year. Just a week ago, he was diagnosed with leukemia. The boy scout troop that my boys are in are giving money to help Zach’s family with expenses like fuel. He has to drive 100 miles to get his treatments. This card is a twisted easel card, and it has a pocket in the inside for putting the money in. I have a tutorial for it on Speedy TV.

Isaiah 40:28-31
Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
29 He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
31 but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

Welcome to the MFP May Blog Hop! This month, we are releasing 4 NEW SETS!

Our New Sets are: Here Comes the Grad, Big Boy Toys, Magnolia Wedding, and American Made.For your convenience, all 4 stamp sets are available for purchase TODAY!
We have a NEW Blog Candy Contest! BE A GUEST DESIGNER!***
What do you need to do to qualify? Just comment on the Design Team blogs during the blog hop. The winner will be announced on the Mark’s Finest Papers blog on Saturday, May 14, 2011. ***See the MFP blog for all the contest rules and PRIZES!

FRIDAY, May 13, 2011: American Made
Emily-
Karen-
Patty-
Roxie-
Vicki-
Liz:
Claudine-
Dawn-
Guest Designer, Crafty Math Chick
Guest Designer, Pat
Marilynn-
Peggysue-
Connie –
Emily N.-
Neva
Silvia
Patricia
Chrissy
Karen K.
Pam
Mark’s Finest Papers

Magnolia Wedding- MFP May Blog Hop Day 3

I watercolored the magnolia and cut it out and popped it up on craft foam. I added striped dp, lace, ribbon and pearls. The sentiment was printed on the dp. After it was all done, I wished I had used different paper for the sentiment. The stripes are ever so slightly off from the sentiment. I printed the sentiment using my computer. The pearls are hot glue pearls.


This is the wedding cake card I made last week using this set.

I love how versitile these MFP sets are.


Welcome to the MFP May Blog Hop! This month, we are releasing 4 NEW SETS!


Our New Sets are: Here Comes the Grad, Big Boy Toys, Magnolia Wedding, and American Made.For your convenience, all 4 stamp sets are available for purchase TODAY!

We have a NEW Blog Candy Contest! BE A GUEST DESIGNER!***

What do you need to do to qualify? Just comment on the Design Team blogs during the blog hop. The winner will be announced on the Mark’s Finest Papers blog on Saturday, May 14, 2011. ***See the MFP blog for all the contest rules and PRIZES!

Thursday, May 12, 2011-Magnolia Wedding

Lois

Vicky

Dawn L.

Anne

Emily

Karen

Patty

Roxie

Vicki

Liz

Claudine

Dawn M

Karen K.
Pam


Marilynn

Geri

Lynn

Neva

Silvia
Guest Designer, Crafty Math Chick

Guest Designer, Pat

Mark’s Finest Papers