Framed Serenity

This framed Serenity Prayer combines two challenges. The first is Julia's Ways to Use it Frugal Finds(WT207). I purchase several sets these hanging frames a few years ago at the Target dollar spot. Except I think they were $2.50 a set. I have not done a lot with them. As I was going through the Room Service Home website, I came across this desk set. Immediately, I was drawn toward the dry erase hanging in the background and I remembered my frames. A frugal find is only a frugal find if it is used, otherwise it is wasted money. So, I am finally using my frames!!!

I thought the frame would look wonderful with tomorrow's Our Daily Bread Designs Serenity Prayer release. Thanks, Stef for great inspiration, and thanks to Julia for an awesome frugal finds challenge.

I embossed the prayer on textured cream cardstock using versa mark and black ep. I love the elegant simplicity of just the embossed prayer with nothing else added. I chose not to do anything else to it except switch out the ribbon hanger to black gingham. What do you think? I think I will hang this one in my craft room. It is a great gift idea whether it is a prayer or a scripture.

STAMPS Our Daily Bread Designs Serenity Prayer

INK Versa Mark

PAPER The Paper Company's cream white

ACCESSORIES black 5/8" gingham, black squared frame, black ep

CAS Thank You!

I have so been wanting to do the CAS(Clean and Simple) challenges that Miss Boo has started at SCS. I uploaded this to SCS on Wednesday. I am finally getting it loaded here. This card is for CAS03. It is a sketch. Love it!!!! Thanks, Jen!!!

I used some PTI Raspberry Fizz, PTI vanilla cream, and Raspberry Fizz dp for my card. I used Ranger Antique Linen and Tea Dyed ink to antique all of the cardstock, dp, and ribbon to give it a softer aged look. I am using a retired SU set called Best Blossoms. I stamped the flowers in PTI Raspberry Fizz ink. I masked two of the flowers, then stamped the leaves in PTI Ripe Avocado ink. I added a MS scalloped edge. I added a piece of Ripe Avocado saddle-stitched ribbon and three little buttons to complete my CAS card!!!! This card is VERY CAS to me!!!!

The Potter!!!! and a card from Kelley!!!!

First of all, I must say that I am very late with these challenges. I was out of town on Sunday when Jami Bova was introduced as this week's Feature Stamper. I just knew I had to do a card for Jami since she is a super sweet person, she makes fabu cards, and she designed my blog banner....love it!!! The girl just rocks!!! So, here is the card I chose to case after much perusing. Congratulations, Jami for such a well-deserved honor!!!!

I changed the colors to comply with CC207 and images, but I tried to stay true with the sketch and the Bible scripture theme. I did not use pattern paper because I am combining this challenge with the CC207. We are to use summer sun, kiwi kiss, and pumpkin pie. When I thought of these colors, I immediately thought southwest feel.

I am previewing a new set by ODBD You are the Potter to be released March 1st. These clay jars are perfect with these colors. Also, let me just add, that coloring these clay pots is fun and easy. LOVE it.

STAMPS ODBD You are the Potter
PAPER PTI dark chocolate, pumpkin pie, kiwi kiss, summer sun, gp white
INK PTI dark chocolate, copic and permanent markers
ACCESSORIES Scor-Pal, chocolate twill ribbon, HPH retired, MS border punch, foam tape

Judy Rozema the Our Daily Bread Design Team Coordinator assigned those of us who wanted to play in a special Valentine Project during February a design team member to send a card to during the month. We were to keep it all a secret and post the card we received during the last week in February. Imagine my surprise when I received this beauty from none other than the owner of ODBD, Kelley Holland!!! IT is GORGEOUS!!!! She is using the ODBD I am the Way set!!!! Her flower is beautifully colored and she added some shimmerz for a soft sparkly effect. Love the colors, the hardware, and stickpin detailing. I think it is just beautiful!!!! Happy Valentine's to me!!!! Thanks so much, Kelley!!!!!

Timeless Tuesday Challenge!

It is time for Flourishes Timeless Tuesday Challenge. This week Silke Ledlow is hosting the Timeless Tuesday Challenge(FTTC4). She wants us to use vellum on our cards. There are all types of vellums. You have vellum cardstock, vellum paper, colored vellum, embossed vellum, printed vellum, and all kinds of vellum stickers and embellishments. In addition, there are many techniques that can be done using vellum. So, the challenge this week is to dust off your vellum stash and do something with it!!!!

I am using Flourishes Summer Botanicals and Many Sentiment sets. I love this coneflower. It looks just as fabulous in bright colors as it does as a silhouette image. Here I am using some tempting turquoise, so saffron, kiwi kiss, and regal rose colors. They are bold and bright, but I muted the tones a bit with some Ranger Antique Linen distressed ink. I also stamped En Francaise and Sanded dp onto both the dp pieces and edged the pieces with so saffron and regal rose to further mute the hues. I love the effect. Actually, I used the sanded background on the satin ribbon, too, to create a more vintage feel. I then used the same background stamps to create a texture on the kiwi kiss cardstock behind the coneflower. I love the look. I added some paper piercing to the edges to create more interest and frame detailing. I finished with a staz on stamped vellum overlay sentiment. For my sentiment, I use a piece of the 12 X 12 basic gray pattern which is a larger print so the butterfly would be more visible. Love that, too. I used to gold encased pearlized buttons to finish the card. I cut off the button backing and added glue dots.

I am also combining this challenge with the OCC which is to use a tag on our cards.

Be sure to check to see what the other blog team members did with vellum
Cindy Haffner and Kimberly Crawford, and Silke Ledlow

STAMPS
Flourishes Summer Botanicals and Many Sentiment, SU En Francaise and Sanded backgrounds
PAPER
tempting turquoise, so saffron, kiwi kiss, and regal rose, vanilla cream, Basic Gray Urban Prairie
INK
Adirondack Lettuce, Staz on Olive Green, tempting turquoise, so saffron, regal rose, Ranger antique Linen, Tea dyed
ACCESSORIES
CM oval cutting system, pearl buttons, satin ribbon, glue dots, foam tape, Purple scallop oval giga punch, gold cording, CAD, sponges

My Tower!

This card is for today's SCS Inspiration Challenge (IC168). Thanks, Stef for great inspiration! I combined a rug and a pillow for inspiration with my card. Here are the links. Pillow Rug

I am using Our Daily Bread Designs Keep My Lamp Burning set. I stamped the focal image in Pink Passion and the scripture in Adirondack Lettuce in keeping with the pillow colors. I also am using Raspberry Fizz and Spring Moss cardstock. To keep with the floral rug look, I am using Basic Gray, Perhaps (I think). Since the paper is on a white base instead of black like the rug, I opted for a 1" piece of grosgrain and a black layer behind image to bring out some black tones. I used a MS border punch to add some color contrast and detail. I finished with two white brads.

STAMPSOur Daily Bread Designs Keep My Lamp Burning, PAPER PTI Raspberry Fizz, Spring Moss, gp white, Basic Gray PERHAPS, INK Pink Passion, Adirondack Lettuce ACCESSORIES, MS border punch, 1" black grosgrain, white brads.

Some whine with that cheese, please!!!! This is DAY 10 without my cuttlebug. I have learned that I reach for my cb often only to realize that it is NOT there. I really do not think I made cards before I got it...lol!!! I decided that the cuttlebug is much like a dishwasher in that I can make cards without it just like I can have clean dishes, but the process is totally different. Maybe the dishwasher is NOT a good comparison. A more fitting one is hairstyling perhaps. I can roll my hair with a brush and a blow dryer, but using a curling iron or electric rollers makes the task entirely different. Okay, that analogy is NOT good, either.

It gets down to the fact that there are soooo many things I CANNOT do without the cuttlebug. Now, I realize this is one of many types of die cut and embossing machines on the market. Of course, it is the only one I have ever used or had. It has truly revolutionized the way I make cards....the embossing folders, die cuts, etc..... I have finished whining for now....lol!!!! Thanks for reading!!!! It is so nice to share!!!!

Footprints in the Sand!

This card is for yesterday's SCS Color Combo Challenge (CC206). Thanks Emily for a great color combo!!! Of course, when I first saw the color choices I thought.... love the kiwi and the rose red, but the more mustard had me stumped. I had forgotten about the retired prints pattern paper stack from last fall, so I pulled it out and thought the grid pattern in the more mustard would look okay. I am using ODBD Footprints in the Sand set. I stamped my image directly onto the pattern more mustard paper. Love the look.

I colored a regular sized paper clip with a permanent mustard looking marker and added a piece of the ribbon from the retired theater ribbon package.

I had to send my cuttlebug back to Provocraft for a replacment. I have been almost a week without it. No nesties, no sizzix, no embossing folders....oh my. What is a girl to do? This girl is dragging out every punch she can find. Some I have not used in years!!!! I used the notch corner punch on this card. I added a scallop border punch detail and a few gold pearl domes to finish my card.

Flower Inspiration!!!

It is time for Flourishes Timeless Tuesday Challenge!!!! Thanks so much for all who played along with us last week. This week Dee Jackson is hosting the Timeless Tuesday Challenge. Flowers, flowers everywhere!!! Whether they are stamped, silk, real, punched, fabric, dried, crocheted, or clear, if it looks like a flower it is a flower!!! So, this week your challenge is to use flowers!!!! Be sure to check out the Flourishes Newsletter to get all the challenge information.

For my card I chose to use the newly released Signs of Spring set. I wanted to focus on only one flower. I am loving bold color combos lately. I am using some Prism medium blush red, certainly celery and black. I love this large flower that comes in the Signs of Spring set. It is big enough to work with an is a true stand alone on a card. I watercolored my flower. I actually followed Christine Okken's watercolor tutorial that was on last week's Flourishes Friday Focus. WOW!!!! It was a fabulous tutorial. I am quite pleased with my effort. I actually left some white space....lol!!!! I must confess, though, I did used some copic markers to get some of the deeper color saturation areas. Practice! Practice! I love this quote by Monet that is in the set. To finish off my flower card, I used a piece of basic gray urban prairie dp that I cut using a border punch. I added two urban prairie glazed brads, and some black satin ribbon. The ribbon and basic gray products can be found at the Flourishes store.

Be sure to visit the Friends of Flourishes blog team's sites

to see what each created using flowers.

Becca Feeken

Cindy Haffner

Dee Jackson

Silke Ledlow

STAMPS

Flourishes Signs of Spring

INK

Black staz on, blush blossom, cameo coral, certainly celery, copics

PAPER

Certainly celery, black, strathmore watercolor paper, Prism medium blush red, Basic Gray Urban Prairie dp

ACCESSORIES

MS border punch, Basic Gray Urban Prairie glazed brads, black satin ribbon, CAD, foam tape

Blessings!

This card is for the Feature Stamper Challenge (FS106). Congratulations, Julie Lacey!!!!! Your gallery is fabulous!!! Here is the card I chose to case. I chose this card because it was one that was already in my favorites album. I love the design!!!

I changed.....
1.) stamp... I am using ODBD I Am the Way set.
2.) color combo.... I am using kraft with pink pirouette, and Bella Rose dp.
3.) I changed the size of my card. Instead of long and low, I am 5.5 X 6
4.) I did add a border detail below my panel since the card was so tall I felt it need a little more.

STAMPS
ODBD I Am the Way
PAPERKraft, Pink Pirouette, Bella Rose dp
INKBlack Staz on
ACCESSORIESscallop punch, circle punches, Fiskars border punch, MS woven ombre putty/pink sand ribbon, retired copper HPH, copics

God Our Refuge!

This card is for a few challenges. The first one is SCS Inspiration Challenge (IC167). Thanks Stef for wonderful inspiration with a poignant message. THE ARTFULL BRAS PROJECT. Members of Quilters of South Carolina have created one-of-a-kind bras for Breast Cancer Awareness. The exhibit consists of forty-nine original works of art which are unique, entertaining, humorous, and beautiful to make the public aware of breast cancer, to memorialize those lost to the disease, and to honor survivors. I chose the bra with all of the buttons, but used ONLY ONE button on my card. I am using ODBD Keep My Lamp Burning.

The second challenge is for Divine Design Bible Verse Challenge 09. This past week a friend was diagnosed with double breast cancer. While the doctors feel that it was caught in time in both breasts, surgery and possibly chemo are necessary. I would love to call her,send her a card, but she has requested NO cards, flowers, or calls. Technically...anything that will remind her. She does not live nearby, so all I can do is think about her and pray. So, I made this card for me to pray for her daily and to give me strength to be what she needs me to be right now. Psalm 46:1 is a very powerful scripture that really lets me know that all that I am is because of God. And, that HE is there as a refuge and strength.

This card is also for SCS Limited Supplies Challenge (LSC207). Thanks, Judy for such a wonderful challenge. We are to use two or more things on a card that are a stretch for me. The first thing that is a stretch for me is buttons. Until this week I rarely used them....especially the kind that actually look like buttons. So I added ONE button that actually looks like a button. Next, I created my own DP. I stamped Heidi Snapps Damask image several times in Adirondack Lettuce. I then added SU En Francaise background over the top using Ranger Tea Dyed ink. I love the end result. Note to self....make your own dp more often!!!

STAMPS ODBD Keep My Lamp Burning, Heidi Snapps Damask, SU En Francais PAPER PTI ripe avocado, poppy, gp white, black INK versa mark, black staz on, Adirondack lettuce, Ranger Tea Dyed ACCESSORIES button, brads, wrought iron corner punch, gingham ribbon, foam tape, dimensionals, 1" circle punch, black ep, CAD

Buttons and Fabric!!!

This card is for SCS Ways to Use it Challenge (WT205). As soon as I read that we are to use fabric, I knew I wanted to combine it with the Flourishes Timeless Tuesday button challenge(FTTC2) for the week.

I have been making a lot of CAS cards of late. Why? These cards are the HARDEST cards in the world to make to me!!! LOL!!!! I tip my hat to all you CAS PROS!!!!! For me, it is easy to throw layers and stuff on a card and have it look okay, but when you get down to the bikini of cards...there is NO HIDING!!!! I find the CAS simply challenging!!!!

I have had a box of fabric swatches my sister gave me for well over a year. I do not think I have made anything with them...until now. This striped fabric actually had the pinking edge already there. I selected some cardstock that matched it and I was on my way. I am using Flourishes, LLC Spring Ephemerals set. One can never go wrong with this set. I should have picked it up first.

Currently, I am without a CUTTLEBUG!!!!! I am really down to the bare minimums it seems!!!!

For those of you on the fence about getting a cuttlebug, GET IT!!!! It is probably the most used item in my craftroom aside from cardstock, ink, and stamps!!!! A few months ago I was running an embossing sandwich through the bug when I hear an awful sounding cracking noise. I thought....I bet I just cracked my first plate. Plate cracking must be fairly common....no problem. Anyhow, when I looked. it was NOT the plates that cracked but the side of my cuttlebug all the way across. I almost freaked. Of course, I checked to see if I could still cut out dies with it, and it did work. However, when I would try to put my sandwich through it, it would creaked and the crack would open. I thought the whole side would crack and the bug would split in two. So for over a month or more, I used a bone folder to emboss with my nesties. I mentioned my cracked cuttlebug on one of my DT threads. I had a friend mention to contact Provocraft. I never thought to contact them. I mean....my CB is over a year old and well loved. I did it anyway...nothing to lose, right. I received an email back giving me a shipping address to return it and they would replace it. WHAT!?!??!? Of course, I had to pay the shipping to them. It cost $15 UPS, but still.....I am getting a new cuttlebug. That is fantastic customer service!!!!! So, for now....I have NO cuttlebug which means NO textured plates, NO NESTIES shapes, NO swirls and flourishes...NOTHING!!! I wonder how long it will take for me to get my bug back? Patience!!!! I know!!!

STAMPS

Flourishes Spring Ephemerals

CARDSTOCK PTI Ripe Avocado, Aqua Mist, Vanilla Cream, SU really rustINK,Aqua Mist, Adirondack Lettuce

ACCESSORIESAqua Mist ribbon, corner punch, buttons, kite string, fabric