SSiC #150

Hello dear friends.  It's time for another challenge at Stampin' Sisters in Christ and I am so glad you are here.  I hope you are blessed by your visit here.  I would share a comfy seat and some sweet conversation with you if you came down my country road.  Welcome.

Peggysue is our lovely hostess this week and she has selected our verse and our challenge.

"Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom."  Matthew 27:51

At first glance this may seem like a strange verse to highlight, but really it is a wonderful verse that holds so much promise for those of us called the children of God.  This verse comes from a portion of scripture that tells of Jesus dying on the cross for our sins.  At the moment He died many things happened on the earth.  The veil was torn, the earth quaked, rocks were split, and believers who had died were raised to life.  History tells us the veil was approximately 18 inches thick.  The book of Exodus tells us it was woven of beautiful linen threads with a design of cherubim.  The veil was hung in the temple and it separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies.  The Holy of Holies is where the High Priest would go once a year to meet with God.  Only one person, out of all God's chosen people, could meet with Him, and only once a year.  When Jesus died on the cross, and the veil was torn, that signified that we now have access to God.  Whenever we want.  Whoever we are.

"Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need."  Hebrews 4:16

I'm not sure some people realize just how amazing that is.  Our country takes God too lightly.  Or disregards His existence all together.  There is a God.  And He created the heavens and the earth.  He created you and me.  And He wants an intimate relationship with each of us.  He sent His Son to die on the cross for our sins that we might spend all eternity with Him.  And because of the blood of Jesus we do have access to the loving, heavenly Father.  We can go before Him at any time.  We can crawl in His lap and pour out our hearts before Him.  Don't think He is too busy or uncaring to listen to you.  He never sleeps.  He is never too busy.  He loves you and He's waiting for you.  The veil was torn to provide a way for us to freely come to Him.

Peggysue used this glorious verse to provide inspiration for our challenge this week.  She would like to see you tear your paper.  Not all of it (unless you want to!) but at least one piece of it on your creation.  Don't be afraid.  Be brave!  Its easy and fun and looks great!  Play along with us this week.  We have a great sponsor this week.  Inspired Stamps is offering $15 of store credit to one player this week.  I sure hope you'll join us.

For my piece this week I chose a fun image from My Favorite Things.  I have had my eye on her for a while and I'm so glad I finally bought her.  She's called What's Cooking.  I love her long legs!  All the images in this collection are so cute and they come with several sentiments each.

 Isn't she great?  So much fun!  I colored her with my Prismacolor pencils on kraft.

 This is one of the sentiments that comes with her.  The yummy flower is made from a Spellbinders die called Rose Creations.  I used a DP with script and inked all the edges.  It was my first flower from this die and I love how it turned out.  I used a tutorial here to make my flower.  Her directions and photos are perfect!  This die did nothing for me til I saw her flowers.  She has me hooked!

 I added some cheesecloth under my image, inked and sewed my edges and sewed some buttons to the corners.  Yes, I really do sew them by hand.  They won't pop off very easily let me tell you!  The image isn't as tiny as you may think she is.  This isn't a card, but the front of a gift bag!

 See?  I made this for a friend who sells Pampered Chef.  She gives out little prizes to guests during her presentation and I thought this would be so much cuter that the plastic shopping bag she is currently using!  I added a bunch of ribbon, cheesecloth and muslin to the handle.  It all came from my stash.  See that yummy DP?  I picked it up at Hobby Lobby and I love it!  It's by Echo Park and it looks like vintage newspaper ads.  So fun!  I tore the front DP but it still covered up the 3 ads that were about food, so I cut another copy of them from another piece of the same paper and mounted them on top.

See?  It adds a little more dimension.  

No, I didn't decorate the inside  ;)  Just put my custom stamp on the back, but you know what that looks like  :)

I guess that's about it.  Be sure to stop by all me Sister's blogs and see what yumminess they have created for you this week, then join in on the fun!  Thanks for taking a peek!

Blessings & Hugs

Michelle

Ice Cream for Justin

Hello hello!  Welcome!  Pull up a seat and enjoy your stay!

Today I have a card for the challenge over at Mo's Challenge Blog.  The theme this week is "In the Doghouse".  I chose the sweet image called Justin's Ice Cream.  I have a boy named Justin so this was a no-brainer!

I used my Prismacolor pencils to color this little guy.  I also used some wool fibers from my stitching stash to make the stitches in the corners.

 I have so many girlie DP a boy card can be a challenge.  I've bought quite a few new papers lately so I wanted to use something from my stash.  I didn't have alot of these DP so I don't have as many layers as usual but I think it turned out ok.  The fence is a new die I bought from Simon Says Stamp.  You can find it here.  The sentiment is from a $1 set at Joanns.

 Here's the inside.  I used the same sketch on both sides and added the rest of the fence.

 The ribbon and buckle are holding a gift certificate I got my boy at a local ice cream shop.  See?  It's for Justin  :)  It seemed like a fitting gift to go in here.

And the back.

I am entering my card in the following challenge:

Mo's Challenge Blog - In the Doghouse

I think that's it.  Time to watch the Yankees beat the Red Sox!  Thanks for taking a peek!

Blessings & Hugs

Michelle

Vive le France!

Hello dear friends!  Welcome!  I hope you like what you see today and stay for a while!

Today I have a card that started its life, in my brain, as a tag.  It was shabbier and pinker.  I don't know what happened between my brain and my fingers but what I came up with is not how it started life.  Maybe my muse was working hard to make it come out her way.  Anyway, its done and it is what it is.  My oldest daughter has claimed it for her room so it must not be too bad.  She didn't see the picture in my brain anyway!  My inspiration came from the challenge over at The Shabby Tea Room.

Isn't it gorgeous?  Like I said my card started its life as a tag with a lot of pink.  I had to drive to the city and back today and I guess my muse was doing a lot of whispering in my ear while I was driving because I couldn't wait to get in my studio when I got home!  And this is what she came up with:

As I was thinking about the inspiration photo I started thinking about enjoying that pink lemonade with a close friend.  At an outside cafe.  In France.  And there ya go!  The Eiffel Tower is from Janet over at By Digital Paper.  I printed it on vellum.  The cream paper is stamped with an old SU stamp called French Script.  The lace is a very vintage piece from my stash.  The rose is made from the Spellbinders die called Rose Creations.  I used 3 shades of pink to make it and I edged the petals with a burgundy ink.  The leaves are inked with green and a touch of the burgundy.

 You know I like to follow the same sketch pretty much for the inside.  On the left I added the first part of a poem by Langston Hughes called Dreams.  I learned this poem in 4th grade!

Hold fast to dreams

For if dreams die

Life is a broken-winged bird

That cannot fly.

There's a story to this poem, too.  See, the ladies over at Word Art Wednesday have a challenge to "never give up".  They have some great word art to go with that.  And I started thinking about perseverance and keeping your eyes on a goal and seeing something through.  And somewhere in the dark recesses of my battered brain this beautiful little poem came out.  I couldn't remember the poet but google helped me with that.  And here it is.  (And yes I had my caffeine today for a headache and I am still going strong at 12:03AM!)

I had fun playing on the computer, typing it out and getting the words different sizes.  It could be way better but of course I wanted it done NOW.

And the back.

I am entering my card (or glorified tag) in the following challenges:

The Shabby Tea Room - Oh, So Pretty in Pink; Add a Flower

Word Art Wednesday - Never Give Up

Papertake - Make Your Own (I made my flower)

Shopping Our Stash - Something New (new paper today!! new charm today!! very old lace from my grandma's box)

Tuesday Alchemy - Very Vintage (I hope this looks vintage enough)

The Paper Shelter - Metal Embellishment (my charm)

I think that's about it.  I should really be off to bed, but since my hubby is leaving in the morning with the boys for a fishing trip I think I will head over to Pinterest to see what's new!  Thanks for taking a peek!

Blessings & Hugs

Michelle

Happy Birthday to My Boy

Happy Tuesday to you!  We are in another heat wave here in the Northeast.  Its crazy hot!  My grass is brown and has been for a couple weeks now.  That doesn't usually happen until August!  I am so thankful for a deep well!

Today I have a card using a super cute image from Tiddly Inks.

 This little guy is called Geekatude.  I decided to use him on a birthday card for my son, Ben.  I was thinking the hair was a little wild for my Ben until he got out of the shower tonight.  He looked just like this little guy!  Perfect!  He is just starting to love listening to his mp3 player and I can just see him with a mac under his arm someday!  I've colored my image with my Prismacolor pencils.

 I used this great paper from MME.  I wish I had a scrapbook store nearby besides the big chain stores, but I am so glad for the selection Hobby Lobby has.  And I am always excited when they get in some new paper!  I have to keep making cards so I can justify buying more paper!  The challenge over at Cooking It Up With Katie is Blue Button Birthday.  How handy that Ben's 13th is coming up next month!  I pulled these great blue buttons from my stash and sewed them on with some ecru pearl cotton.  I printed the sentiment from my computer.  The sketch follows the challenge over at Tiddly Inks.

 Here's the inside.  I die cut an oval for the writing panel to match the sketch on the front.

And the back.

I am entering my card in the following challenges:

Cooking It Up With Katie - Blue Buttons Birthday

Tiddly Inks - Sketch

Top Tip Tuesday - Circles

I think that's about it.  Thanks for taking a peek.

Blessings & Hugs

Michelle

SSiC # 149

Hello sweet friends and welcome again to my blog.  Thank you for coming by today.  Your visit means so much to me.  If this is your first time here, welcome.  I hope you'll be back.

Today I have a card for the new challenge at Stampin' Sisters in Christ.  I have the blessing of being the hostess this time.  That means I chose our verse and our challenge.  As I was praying about what the Lord would have me share with you, He gave me these verses:

"Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."  Matthew 11:29-30

As I pondered these verses I wondered what the Lord wanted me to say exactly.  A yoke is not a common term these days.  I'm sure many people don't know what one is.  A yoke is a wooden frame that hooks two large animals, usually oxen, together, so they can work together as a team.  The animals would be used for farming or pulling a heavy load.  Jesus says He wants us to take His yoke upon ourselves.  What does that mean?  Notice at the end of those verses He says His yoke is easy and light. Hmmm  So it doesn't sound like a difficult thing.  Why were two oxen yoked together?  Couldn't they still do the job if they weren't attached to each other?  I've heard this portion of scripture taught more than once and as I see it when the two animals were bound together the job became easier for both of them and more importantly, the larger and stronger of the two animals not only bore more of the load but it also served as a teacher showing the younger and less experienced animal the proper way of performing their duties.  So, what does that mean for us?  First, God wants to shoulder most of the burden for us.  He wants to take the load so we don't have to.  Second, when we are attached to Him He is right beside us every step of the way guiding us, keeping us on track, helping us get to the finish line successfully.  Oxen were yoked together by the farmer, they had no choice.  We choose to yoke ourselves to the Lord.  We can choose to cast off the yoke and go our own way, but why would we?  The God of the universe is in love with us and wants to bless us.  If we choose to go our own way we risk missing those blessings.  Also, when we cast off that yoke we have to carry our burdens ourselves. I have walked with the Lord a long time.  As I get older I think I am more sensitive to the times I am wandering on my own and I RUN back to the Lord and gladly place myself under His yoke.  The burdens of this life are too much to bear without Him.

"Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting ALL your care upon Him, for He cares for you."  1 Peter 5:6-7

Beloved, cast ALL your cares upon Him today.  Don't try to bear the burdens that He will so willingly bear for you.  Walk in His love today.

My challenge for you this week is to make a clean and simple card (CAS); no extra frills and fan fare; something simple and easy.  Let this challenge be a blessing to you this week.  Won't you join us?

This was certainly a challenge for me.  If you have seen my cards before you know I like to embellish and sew and ink and embellish some more.  So, this was a challenge.  :)  But a fun one.  I have been looking at this adorable stamp set from There She Goes for a while now.  As I pondered this challenge I began to see the card I could make and gladly ordered Cutie Pi.  It has the most adorable images and expressions that are very current with young adults these days.

I used the sweet little boy scientist.  A friend's son just graduated with a degree in chemistry and his birthday is next week.  I will give her this card to give her son.  I colored him on kraft with my Prismacolor pencils.  Colors just pop on kraft.  I always forget that and fall in love with it every time I use it!

Here's the front of my card.  See?  No embellishments.  No inking.  No sewing.  Nothing.  Well, mostly nothing.  My friend's son uses the word "wonky".  Its sort of his go-to word for things.  They tease him all the time for using it.  Anyway, when I was looking through the dies at My Favorite Things I came across a die called, get ready, the Wonky Scallop Border!  Can you believe it?  So, of course, I had to buy it!  So I did add that one tiny embellishment.   I just had to!  It looks good, huh?  I hope he likes it too.  The great paper is from MME.  I love their paper!

Here's the inside.  Again, no extra stuff but it looks masculine I think.

And the back.  (lol I was just thinking....Yes, decorating all 4 sides is still clean and simple for me  ;)  truly!)

I hope you decide to join us this week with your CAS card or creation.  We would love to see you.  Be sure to stop by my Sister's blogs and see their lovely creations.

I think that's about it.  Thanks for taking a peek!

Blessings & Hugs,

Michelle

Hugs!

Hello again my friends!  Thanks for coming by.  I can't believe I haven't posted all week.   There's no school right now.  How do I not get cards done??  Where is the time going?  Thanks for sticking by me and coming over.  Welcome.

Today I have a card for the challenge over at Mo's.  The challenge is Hugs and Kisses.  How fun is that?

I chose this cutie from Mo called Love Ya.  Look at those fat little legs!  They need a little pinch!  I colored her with my Prismacolor pencils.  I used a new paper to print my image on.  It has a little more tooth.  I like the way the coloring turned out, I just need a little more practice I think.

I bought more of this beautiful DP from MME.  I used it a while ago and really love it.  The seam binding and flowers are from Wild Orchid.  The beads are from my stash and so is the ric-rac.  In fact, the ric-rac is very old.  It came from my grandma's stash and she passed away a long time ago.  I have never used it.  It is so sweet and pretty and I would love to use it on something special for me or my family.  I'm just not sure what that would be.  So it sits in my box waiting  :)  I pulled it out to use because the ladies over at Shopping Our Stash want us to use something we have been hoarding.  To me that means something you just don't want to give away, not just something you are ignoring or forgot about.  This ric-rac qualifies!  I used a new die I bought from Simon Says Stamp called Memory Box small tilda swirl poppy die.  All my layers are inked and sewn.

My card opens from the middle.

The inside is pretty simple.

And the back.

I am entering my card in the following challenges:

Mo's Digital Challenge - Hugs and Kisses

Shopping Our Stash - Use your hoarded stash

Divas by Design - Anything Goes

The Paper Shelter - Anything Goes

Digi Tuesday - All Tied Up

Ribbon Carousel - Use the colors they selected

Papertake - All Things Girlie

I think that's about it.  Thanks for taking a peek!

Blessings & Hugs

Michelle

Strawberry Girl

Hello again dear friends.  What is the weather like where you are?  It is crazy hot again today.  And so dry!  But I have my trusty fan blowing on my feet and I have my laptop so life is good!  (Life is good anyway...these are just the sprinkles!!)

I have a card today that I wasn't sure I could pull together.  I felt like my image and my DP were not going to go together.  My image is from Mo's and she is called Strawberry Girl.

I have colored this cutie with my Prismacolor pencils.  I have always colored her in brighter colors and that's what I thought I was going to do this time.  The paper I thought I was going to use is very bright. But it just wasn't happening.  It wasn't speaking to me.  My muse said she was leaving town if I tried to go in that direction with this card.  So, she and I chatted  ;)  and we picked different papers.  And everything came together so nicely.  (She's whispering "I told you so" even now!)

I used the sketch from CLP for my card.  Their sketches are so beautiful.  The DT always has such beautiful work, but even the actual sketch (the way it is put together) inspires me.  I love using their sketches.  I used cheesecloth from my kitchen again, seam binding for a bow, lots of buttons from my stash and a flower from Wild Orchid.  It's actually a cherry blossom, but I think it looks like a large strawberry blossom.  So appropriate!  I also added a charm, lace and pearls, from my stash.

And I did some creative altering to the CLP sketch.  Wanna see??

Can you see how the card opens?  The challenge at Shopping Our Stash was to add an extra fold.  And it fit this sketch so nicely!

Here's the card opened up.  I so love these papers.  And I used a deep pink to ink the edges and I really like how it turned out.

 This is the top panel on the inside.  I printed the scripture from Word Art Wednesday.  It looks natural on this DP.

This is one of my favorite verses (Isaiah 54:13).

And the back.  Love these papers!

I am entering my card in the following challenges:

Mo's Digital Challenge Blog - Dancing and Singing  (I can picture one of my girls when they were little wearing a sweet sundress and picking flowers from my gardens and singing away....mostly my Katie  ;)  )

CLP - Sketch

Shopping Our Stash - folds or pleats

Digital Tuesday - Inside Out (decorate the inside...I ALWAYS do that lol  ;)  )
The Ribbon Carousel - Buttons & Bows
Word Art Wednesday - Scripture
Papertake Weekly - Strawberries & Cream
Tuesday Alchemy - No Work, All Play
Creative Inspirations - Bingo (I used Pink, Charms & Ribbon)
Totally Papercrafts - Lots of Layers (Got it!  Not a problem!)

I think that's about it.  This was a long post.  Guess I was chatty today!  Thanks for taking a peek!

Blessings & Hugs

Michelle

SSiC #148

Good morning lovely friends and welcome.  It's been hot and dry but the blueberry crop is amazing and we have been busy!  We have all had some blue teeth this week!

I have a card for the new challenge over at Stampin' Sisters in Christ.  Meisje is our hostess she has chosen our inspiration verse and challenge this week.

"You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned?  It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men."  Matthew 5:13

I kept reading this portion of scripture and my eye fell upon verse 16:

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."

People should know we are Christians by the way we live our lives.  We may not have a chance to share the Good News with every person we come in contact with, but they should know we spend time with Jesus when we finish our encounter with them.  We need to fill up with Jesus each day so when things start coming out of us it will be Jesus coming out and not ourselves.  That's being salt and light.  And when someone mentions the way we conduct ourselves we need to make sure we point them to Jesus so they can glorify our Father.  No taking credit for ourselves.  Just point 'em to Jesus.

Meisje would like to see us add sparkle to our cards this week.  And maybe our lives can sparkle this week too.  Give a little blessing to someone this week for no reason what so ever.

Our sponsor the week is Stamps of Life and the prize is a free set worth up to $12.95.  I hope you play along this week and let us see your sparkle!!

I chose a sweet image over at Mo's called Ragged Angel.  She is such a sweet little thing.

I colored her with my Prismaclor pencils and added some Stickles to the snowflakes falling around her.

I'm not sure the papers are exactly wintry but I was so in love with them and had to use them.  And I think it works!  Can you see the small seed beads I sewed to the card?  First I laid a piece of white tulle over my DP and sewed around the edges.  I then sewed the vertical element on top of that as well as the base of the image.  I marked where I wanted to put the beads and then sewed them on by hand.  When the card was done I was left with the dilemma of what to do with the extra tulle sticking off all 4 edges. I very carefully held the card over my stove which had a low flame.  The tulle melted up and looked shabby.  I love it!  I would suggest if you try something like this that you practice on a scrap of tulle to see how quickly it melts and disappears.  (Also, make sure your young children aren't around to get any bad ideas and your grown children aren't around to talk about having you committed!)  I think I will be trying this technique again!  My flowers are all from Wild Orchid.  The green sparkly spirals are the wires from the flowers I twisted around the handle of a paintbrush, dipped in tacky glue and coated with green glass glitter from Wild Orchid.  The are very pretty.  That glitter really catches the light.

The image is actually mounted on a small card.  This is the verse I put on the inside.

Here's the inside.  I didn't add much to the left side so you could see the glorious paper.

  So that's about it.  Be sure you stop by the other DT members sites and see the beautiful creations they have created.  I hope we see you this week.

Thanks for taking a peek.

Blessings & Hugs

Michelle

Shabby Tag

Hello and glorious Saturday to you!  It is crazy hot and dry here!  I just plated a few flowers I was given and the ground is so dry.  I watered for a while, and I should probably do it again tonight.  We have a well we had dug about 5 years ago.  It was dug during a small drought so they had to go pretty deep for this area to find water.  That's a good thing my husband says.  We shouldn't go dry.  We have before this well and it was no fun to have NO water in August heat!  I am so thankful for water!

Enough rambling!  I have a piece for the challenge over at The Shabby Tea Room.

This is the gorgeous inspiration photo.  And they ask that we use white/cream, kraft, pink and lace.  Got it!  What fun!

I chose to make a tag.  I have been admiring the BEAUTIFUL creations of Andrea Ewen.  Here cards and tags are inspiring!  So gorgeous!  So I guess that's the look/style I was going for.  I used cream and kraft CS and an old background stamp from SU called French Script.  I inked the edges of my tag with Tim Holtz ink in Walnut Stain.  The two layers of tag are sewn together.  I used an old canning jar and my grandma's wooden spools as props to hold up my tag.  Now I need a photo tent!

I chose a verse to go on my tag.  If you have visited my blog before you may be aware that my 2 sons and I were in a serious accident in January.  My head injuries were severe enough that there was a strong possibility of a stroke or death.  My husband and mother were asked in the hospital which of them would make the decision, if needed, if I were to be taken off life support.  I don't remember any of the accident or most of the next 2 weeks, but it was a scary time for my family and close friends.  To look at me today you would have no idea I was in such bad shape.  The only outward remnant is a small scar over my right eye.  I do however, still suffer from headaches, although they are getting farther apart.  I pray daily for God's healing touch, but I am also aware that such a severe injury takes time to heal.  This verse really ministers to me as it makes me remember that my strength to get through each day comes from the Lord.  And when I have a headache that nearly wipes me out that's when I cry out to the Lord and He is there to help me.  He helps me get through the pain and do what needs to be done as a wife and mom of 4 children.  The pain draws me closer to the Lord and allows me to see what He can and will do when I completely rely on Him.  God is so good!

My bow is made with seam binding, a rose I crocheted, hemp and a button from my stash.  I put some feathers behind it.

I added some cheesecloth (it actually came from my kitchen drawer!  It was a long strip already scrunched and stained.  Perfect!!)  These beads are from my stitching stash.  They are leftover fresh water pearls from a sampler I stitched years ago.  The holes were tiny so I had to thread then on regular pins.  The colors were just right for this card.

One more view!

I am entering my tag in the challenge at The Shabby Tea Room.

I think that's about it.  Thanks for taking a peek!

Blessings & Hugs

Michelle

Happy Birthday Hannah!

Hello again lovely friends and welcome.  Thanks for coming by today, I hope you enjoy your stay.

Today I have a fun project I made for a little friend at church.  Her name is Hannah and tomorrow is her birthday.  She will be 4 tomorrow.  She is the cutest thing.  I always enjoy talking to her.  She is so out going and friendly.  And funny!  You never know what she is going to say!  I chose a sweet image from Mo's Digital Pencil called Georgia.  She reminds me of Hannah who is always singing and dancing and she loves to wear dresses.

I colored the image with my Prismacolor pencils.

This is a simple card for me.  The DP were scraps from my stash.  I'm thinking Hannah won't care to much  :)  The flowers are from WIld Orchid.

The inside is bright and cheery, just like Hannah!

And the back.  But the fun thing for Hannah is the inside...inside...

I bought a "movie theater"box of candy that I wrapped in CS and put a card on the top.  The candy box slides in and out easily but won't slip out.

And another view.

I am entering my card/box in the following challenges:

Mo's Digital Pencil - Anything

Totally Papercrafts - Summer

Sassy Cheryl's - Anything

Digi Tuesday - Kids

Papertake - Anything

The Paper Shelter - Flower Power

I think that's about it.  Thanks for taking a peek.

Blessings & Hugs

Michelle