Happy Blog Anniversary

Well, it is a couple of days late, but that is just about right for me. It seems I'm always rushing and always running late. I have learned so much in the past year about blogging. It is hard to believe that I have been doing this for a year. I look forward to what this next year is going to bring.

TLC Pounded flowers

The technique lovers challenge at SCS was to use our cuttlebug to smoosh flowers and make this cool looking paper. I used little wildflowers, ok weeds from the yard of our trucking business to smoosh. I added the striped dp for ths Stampin Sisters in Christ challenge.

Alice In Wonderland

My youngest son has spent the past 2 months preparing for his first musical/play. He played the dodo bird in a production of Alice in Wonderland. Here he is with some of the cast. Here he is with Reva the music director.

Here he is with Chantel, the drama director.

Here he is with one of the Cheshire cats.

The whole cast.

Volunteering with the production, with costumes, props, and back stage help, took up most of my spare time, but to see the smile on my son's face was so worth it.

Ink Spray Smash Stencil tutorial

I felt in the mood to do a tutorial today since I hadn't done one in awhile. I am going to share one of my favorite techniques combined with the use of my new Layers of Color stencil.
Supplies:
Accetate Report Folder (cut on bottom and one side)
Ink pads
Markers
Water Spray Bottle
Makeup sponge
Layers of Color Natural Flourish Stencil

First I open the report folder and add the ink by pushing the ink pad onto the accetate folder.

Here is what it looks like with several times of adding green.

I added some blue to the other side, then I took cheap markers and scribbled in the blank spaces. I added several colors of green and blue and a little yellow.

Then I sprayed a light mist of water from the spray bottle.

Then I closed the report folder and I let the colors mix. (Try not to touch the folder too much because the colors will mix and you just get one solid color.)

I carefully opened the folder again and lay it down.

I placed a piece of white cardstock onto the folder. I used medium pressure. Then I carefully lifted it up.

This is what my paper looked like when I pulled it up from the folder. I let it dry before the next step.

I placed my Layers of Color stencil over the paper and used a makeup sponge to add the ink to the paper.

I added a little bit of blue to add some shading.

Finished designer paper.

CAS birthday card with my new stencil

I was so blessed to win the Layers of Color stencil that Grace gave away on her blog. I love it and now I want the rest of them. So hard to choose between great crafting materials and feeding my kids. I did the background on this card using acetate ink spray and smash technique. When it dried, I used the Layers of Color- Natural Flourish Stencil, to add the greenery at the bottom. I used my computer to add the sentiment. I needed a quick masquline card for a coworker. I loved how this turned out. This also qualifies for the Stampin' Sisters in Christ to not stamp but use a Sentiment as the focal point.

Johanna's book

My daughter Johanna, had to make a book of poems as a final project in her senior english class. This is the book that she made for me.

Lilly's Card

I made this card for our Pastor's little girl, Lilly. I found out yesterday that she is having an episode of Bell's Palsy. That must be tough for a little 10 year old. When I gave her this card, she tried to smile, but her face wasn't cooperating. I could see it in her eyes though. She gently touched the roses and butterfly, and I could see she was enjoying it. This is also for the Stampin' Sisters In Christ Challenge to have a critter on our card. Of course I had to use my Layers of Color butterfly.

Candy's card

My friend Candy has a birthday tomorrow. I made this card for her. I used my Layers of Color Joyful Noise set. I also made little paper roses.

Roses of Summer

I was listening to the LAST ROSE OF SUMMER while making this card. I made the handmade roses. I added gold heat embossing and little pearls. I added the heart to the card for the Stampin' Sisters in Christ Challenge. I used my Layers of Color butterfly.

Part of the reason my blog's been neglected

My oldest daughter Johanna, graduated from High School. I can brag a little about her. She graduated with a 4.0 and was tied for top student with 3 of her friends. She worked very hard and I'm proud of her. It has been crazy with graduation, end of school year, and getting ready for her graduation party.

Kaleb, Johanna, Joshua

I
It was awesome to have family come to visit for this special day. My folks came from Phoenix and, my in laws came from Georgia. We had a great time even though it was hot and muggy.

Zentangle

The Ways to Use it challenge today was to use black ink and make a zentangle. What a challenge. I decided to use my Layers of Color "Joyful Noise" set. I doodled dots and small music notes. I don't know if it qualifies as a zentangle, but I like how it turned out. Another music card for the Stampin' Sisters in Christ Challenge.

Let your light shine

The Stampin' Sisters in Christ challenge, was by Grace. She challenged us to use music on our cards. This card was also inspired by the MotherMark Tuesday Teaparty Challenge to have a boat or lighthouse on the card. I was thinking about 2 different songs when I made this card. The first song was the hymn LET THE LOWER LIGHTS BE BURNING by Philip Bliss. It was written in 1874 after Philip heard Moody preach a sermon that talked about a ship that wrecked in the Cleveland harbor because the shore lights had gone out. That hymn and sermon remind us that even though God is the lighthouse, it is our job to be the shore lights and to let our light shine to lead others to Christ. Matthew 5:16 says "Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." The second song I was thinking about is called Jesus is the lighthouse. "There is a LIGHTHOUSE on a hillside that overlooks life's sea. When I'm tossed He sends out a light. Light that I might see, and the light that shines in darkness now will safely lead me on. If it wasn't for the LIGHTHOUSE this ship would sail no more..."

For the background on this card I printed the hymn on white cardstock. I put ink on the inside of an acetate folder. I sprayed it with water and placed the cardstock with the hymn printed on it inside the folder. It gave the sky the stormy look. I used my heat gun to dry it. After it was dry I took black stazon and stamped my new lighthouse image.(I got 3 lighthouse stamps at a garage sale for $1 this last week. What a buy!) I colored it with prisma colored pencils. I also stamped the birds what were part of the light houses set too. I stamped the flourish from Layers of Color joyful noise set. I made it an easel card. I tied knots in twine to make the stoppers for the easel. I made figure 8 knots. The look of this card made me think of a Thomas Kinkaid painting.

Graduation Announcements

My oldest daughter is graduating from High School in just a week and a half. We decided that I would make the announcements for her. She loves music and plans to go on to college to pursue a degree in music education, so the Layers of Color Joyful Noise set was the perfect one to use on her announcements. I heat embossed with gold ep and added a photo that I took of her last fall. 1 down only 64 more to make.

Hope Love Faith

I made this for my friend who was in a car accident the other day. Lynette was hit in the face with the airbag and it bruised her face and jaw. She has been in a lot of pain. I wanted to make a card that would cheer her up. I used my digital image from Layers of Color. I added a quilled flower to the love bouquet. I used my prisma colored pencils to doodle borders.

Evelyn's Birthday card

I made this card for my special friend Evelyn. She is an amazing mom. She is raising 5 kids by herself. She is so strong. For her birthday, I wanted to make an over the top, wow card. I know she loves butterflies. We are on the worship team together at Church, so I know she is going to love the music part of her card.

Two challenge cards with black magic technique

This card was for the technique lovers challenge to make a swing or flip-flop card. I had a lot of fun once I figured out the mechanics of the card.

This card was for the inspiration challenge. I used my new Layers of Color - Joyful Noise set. I love this set.

How can I help you say goodbye

I made this for our (Youth Pastor-Worship Minister) Adam and his wife Jessie. They announced this last Sunday that they are moving. It is always hard to have people you love, leave. I am just thankful that I got this set from Layers of Color before they left. I have been on the worship team with Adam since he came. When I saw this set, I thought it would be perfect to make an appreciation card for all his hard work. I also made this for this week's teaparty and last weeks teaparty. The daisies are for last week. The disappearing part on this card, is our youth pastor leaving. It is also for the Stampin' Sisters in Christ challenge to add faux stitching on our card. It is also using today's sketch challenge. The lyrics at the bottom of the easel card are from the Patty Loveless song." ...Time will ease your pain. Life's about changing, Nothing ever stays the same. How can I help you to say goodbye? It's OK to hurt and it's OK to cry. Come let me hold you and I will try. How can I help you to say goodbye. You will be missed!"

Dear God, I pray that you will bless Adam and Jessie and the girls. It is hard saying goodbye to them, but I know that you have a plan for their lives. I pray that you will always be first in their lives, and that you are able to use them in a mighty way to impact youth in other communities as much or more than they did here. In Jesus Name, AMEN

My new stamps

I am super excited. With my birthday coming up, my mom sent me some money to buy a set of stamps. I have had my eye on the JOYFUL NOISE set at Layers of Color, since it was released. It finally came today. I used the butterfly from the set and embossed it in gold. I made this card for my good friend Andrea, who had a birthday yesterday. I tried to use colors from her living room on the card. I also tried to make it with a romantic style, which is what she likes. I added faux pearls on the pane and at the bottom as the stops for the easel style card. I made hand made roses with rust colored paper. I wasn't sure how I would like the rust colored flowers, but I really like how they turned out. I added faux stitching around the panel for the Stampin' Sisters in Christ challenge to add stitching to our projects. I love this scripture and hope that it will be an encouragement to my friend as well.

More spring photos

Little violets in the woods

Robin in the park


Pretty little blue jay

Sometimes more is MORE

The technique lovers challenge was to take a card that we had previously made and either make it less or more. I don't do less well at all so I went really more. More color, more layers, more techniques, more roses and of course more layers of colore butterflies.