Strength In The Garden

I was thinking about the writing for this blog post a few minutes ago and decided that this was the title I wanted to give it.  I then thought about my father’s favorite hymn, the Garden of Prayer.  I remember coming home from high school and playing the piano and singing for him during a long recuperation from a serious heart attack.  It’s been 35 years since he moved on to his heavenly home, but I think my dad would tell me that true strength comes from prayer.  I think that this one is for your, Dad!  I love you and miss you and Mom both so very much.

As you may know from some of my precious posts, I am doing the card ministry for my church.  I send out the cards from our church to members when there is sickness or death in their families.  Since I know the people, I find myself personalizing the cards and try to find a good scripture for each card.  We’ve had quite a few over the last several weeks, so I’ve been continuing to look for a quick and easy yet beautiful ways to get some cards done!  I think that I may have hit one it through Simply Simple Stamping and a friend’s idea for making my own patterned paper!

·       Stamp set(s):  Stampin’ Up! – Secret Garden and Thoughts & Prayers; Our Daily Bread Designs – Scripture Collection 1

·       Ink(s):  Stampin’ Up! – Baked Brown Sugar, Tangerine Tango, Pear Pizazz, So Saffron, and Coastal Cabana

·       Paper:  Stampin’ Up! – Very Vanilla, So Saffron & Pear Pizazz CS

·       Dies & Embossing folders:  Spellbinders – Classic Ovals Large & Classic Scalloped Ovals Large; Stampin’ Up! – Square Lattice & Vintage Wallpaper Embossing Folders

·       Embellishments/Other things of note:  Stampin’ Up! – Brights collection buttons(ret.), Linen Thread and Antique Brads; Hobby Lobby – wired burlap ribbon; Petaloo – Mulberry Street Vintage Victorian Color Assortment

I started out by stamping my own patterned paper using all of the ink colors above and used all of the stamps in the Secret Garden stamp set.  I used ink pads because I think that I can tailor my card needs using these colors .  I may do something with purples for sympathy cards later, but for now, these will do.  I then cut up my “new” patterned paper using the “flashcards” that I’ve tried from Simply Simple Stamping in previous posts.  I need something that will come together quickly and easily and can also personalize.  I did add some wide wired burlap ribbon behind my floral paper some added texture and interest.  For the 3 cards I needed for illness in our church family, I personalized it by using the Pear Pizazz for the men and So Saffron for the lady.  I also added a different touch by the use of embossing folders.

I hope you like my ideas for quick and easy cards that still have style!  You can go to the website and get all the information about how to have an array for card ideas ready to go in a “flash”!  Until next time, be blessed in all that you do!

Many Blessings,

Donna

 

Secret Garden Patterned Paper

Scripture Perk-Up!

          I love yellow and black together so when I saw that Dynamic Duos colors for this past week were Basic Black and Daffodil Delight I wanted to play along while making some cards for my church card ministry.  Unfortunately, we had a family emergency this week and it just didn’t get done in time.  I like how this one turned out.  These colors are so graphic together.   I am entering this card over at Verve Stamps Diva Dare “Perk Up” for February 2014.  It is going to be in time for it! J  I am also starting to post to a Faith-Based Challenge on Splitcoaststampers called Divine Design Bible Verse Challenge 2014.  Love this Verve Scripture stamp!

·       Stamp set(s):  Verve – Scripture Medley 2 & Scroll; Our Daily Bread Designs – Sweet William Small; Stampin’ Up! – Thoughts & Prayers and Mixed Bunch

·       Ink(s):  Memento – Tuxedo Black; Stampin’ Up! – Daffodil Delights

·       Paper:  Stampin’ Up! – Whisper White, Basic Black & Daffodil Delight

·       Dies & Embossing folders:  A Cut Above Dies by Verve – Scroll; Spellbinders – Classic Rectangles Large; Stampin’ Up! – Elegant Lines EF (ret.)

·       Embellishments/Other things of note:  Stampin’ Up!  - Blossom Punch, Jewels Basic Rhinestones; Kaisercraft – Ebony Sparklets  

          The card came together very quickly once I got started on it and chose this wonderful and encouraging scripture, Psalm 3:3.  I wanted to encourage a friend from church who has several family losses over the last couple of years and now a sick grandchild in the hospital with a very serious respiratory virus.  What a perfect scripture/sentiment for this purpose!  This is also a good scripture to remember when you are in the midst of the storm like my husband and I have been this past week!  Lift up my head, oh, Lord, that I might see your deliverance!

Many Blessings,

Donna

Prayer Collage

           I have long been wanting to do a card using Crumb Cake cs that has embossed images done in white and then colored with markers.  The effect of this technique has always been stunning when I’ve seen it used, so this is my take on this technique.  I heat embossed on the Crumb Cake CS and then colored with Stampin’ Write Markers.  I chose a Heartfelt Creations stamp that has scripture (Romans 8:28) in the background of the image.  It’s hard to make out because my Versa Mark pad was needing refreshing, but it turned out really good and adds texture to the card front.  My card is a little bigger than the A2 size – 4.25”x 5.5” – so that I could use as much of the stamped image as possible.  It is approximately 4.5” x 5.5”.  Because of the rich detail from the embossing, I didn’t feel the need to at another layer other than with the sentiment.

·       Stamp set(s):  Heartfelt Creations – Tattered Collage; Stampin’ Up! – Thoughts & Prayers

·       Ink(s):  Versamark – Water Mark Stamp Pad; Stampin’ Up! – Old Olive with Stampin’ Write Markers in Old Olive, Cherry Cobbler, Crushed Curry, Early Espresso

·       Paper:  Stampin’ Up! – Crumb Cake & Old Olive CS

·       Dies & Embossing folders:  Spellbinders – Classic Ovals & Classic Scalloped Ovals Large

·       Embellishments/Other things of note:  Archiver’s – Shabby White Embossing Powder

I chose to use the chunkier, Shabby White EP to add more texture than regular embossing powder and to add some sparkle to dress up the card.  There is something about the bling that just does it for me!  I decided that the card front alone with the embossed image was really all I needed to make a stunning card.  The rich colors of the flowers were given more depth from coloring on the Crumb Cake CS.  I was well please with my experimentation using these elements to make a design pop off the paper.   It will be a well-used by me and go to for a quick card in my repertoire!

As always, thank you for taking the time to drop by my home in the blogosphere!  I do appreciate you!  Please feel free to leave me a comment and be sure to sign up to follow me!

Many Blessings,

Donna

 

 

Graphic Hearts for VLVFeb2014



 

          This maybe my last Valentine card for this year – we’ll see if it is or not!  After all the big day is tomorrow.  I hope people here in the Piedmont of NC did there thing for Valentine’s Day before Old Man Winter dumped about 8” of snow on us plus sleet and freezing rain.  A real mess that will refreeze and make early morning commutes miserable through early next week!  Ah, it is so nice to be retired!

          I needed a Valentine card for our son.  He’s a body builder so no frills allowed.  I decided to use the week 1 sketch from Viva la Verve challenge for this month.  I modified it a bit, but I still think you can tell that I used the sketch even though it is flipped around a bit!  I wanted a graphic masculine look so I embossed the DSP and the Smoky Slate (2” by 5¼”) with the Chevron EF before I cut it into 2 pieces.  I have a close up below of the DSP.  I chose it because it was simple yet carried my colors.  My card is 4¼” by 5½”.

·       Stamp set(s):  Verve  – More Than Love; Stampin’ Up! – Love Heart & Happy Valentine Heart (both single stamps and retired)

·       Ink(s):  Stampin’ Up! – Real Red & Smoky Slate

·       Paper:  Stampin’ Up! – More Amore DSP(ret.); Very Vanilla, Real Red & Smoky Slate CS

·       Dies & Embossing folders:  Spellbinders – Classic Rectangle & Classic Scalloped Rectangle large; Papertrey Ink – XL Rick Rack Border Die; Stampin’ Up! – Hearts Framelits & Chevron EF

Once I figured out the layout and what looked best given these papers, the card came together very quickly and will do fine for our son for this occasion!  I don’t know when we will next see him, but it should be soon once everyone can get around again.  I can’t put it in the mail; by the time he got home from work yesterday, someone had clipped his mailbox and left their car parked blocking his drive way.  We just aren’t used to this much snow.  The natives here panic when there is 2” on the road.  I grew up elsewhere so I know to stay off the roads because few can successfully navigate them!  J

Hope you and yours are warm and comfy at home out of the cold and snow/ice!  Happy Crafting Crafters of all kinds!  We can’t go out so we might as well play!  Thank you dear hubby for my craft room!  He’s such a blessing, and my craft room is my own little space to create!

Many Blessings,

Donna

                

Soul Mate Valentine

 

          I finally got around to using my brand new Verve set, “More Than Love”!  Once again, they ship soooo fast!  Love it.  I got the stamp set on Thursday and just got around to using it today – the last day to enter to win some Verve on the MOJO Monday blog!  So here goes.  This is my special card for the love of my life Thom.  We have only known each other 10 years.  It was 10 years ago at the end of January that we were matched on e-Harmony.  You should have heard our kids telling us to be careful!  The Lord used e-Harmony to bring us together.  We will celebrate 9 wonderful years of marriage in March.  He is my soul mate.  When I saw the scripture from the Song of Solomon, I knew that this stamp set had to make it into my growing Verve collection.  I had to fussy cut the hearts; I’ll be getting the dies soon!  My card is 4¼” by 5½” with a left-hand fold!

·       Stamp set(s):  Verve – More Than Love & Surely Goodness

·       Ink(s):  Stampin’ Up! – Marina Mist

·      Paper:  Stampin’ Up! – Marina Mist, Early Espresso, Always Artichoke & Very Vanilla CS; My Mind’s Eye – Bella Bella French Flea Market Stripe (“found” in the blue section of my Scrap Rack carefully tucked away!  LOL!); The Paper Studio – Solid Glitter CS light blue

·       Dies & Embossing folders:  A Cut Above Dies by Verve – Surely Goodness die set; Spellbinders – Contemporary Hearts, Classic Rectangles Large & Classic Scalloped Rectangles Large; Stampin’ Up! – Sizzlits Little Leaves & Square Lattice EF

·       Embellishments/Other things of note:  Stampin’ Up! – Classic Jewels Pearls Large; Fiskars – Small Heart Punch

I changed the sketch up a bit.  I rotated the sentiment block 90° to the left and used the rectangle block under the sentiment block as a mat for my sentiment.  I decided against the small narrow banner/ribbon running diagonally across the top and used the flowers instead of the larger hearts.  I instead took the hearts and added them above the sentiment.  I like how my card came out!  I didn’t want to go too over the top with hearts and flowers so kept it fairly simple and as subtle as I could since this is a card for my husband. 

Thank you so much for stopping by and taking a look.  I’ve made it easy to leave a comment by turning off the verification box.  Please feel free to let me know what you think.

Until next time, have an awesome day!  The inside of the card and the MOJO331 sketch are below!

Many Blessings,

Donna

Serenity Pine

          I was in need of a couple of Get Well cards for my card ministry for my church.  I’ve been looking for a tool or idea that I could use to make the process of making the cards and sending them for my church.  I found it from one of SU friends.  She turned me on to a SU demonstrator’s website, www.simplysimplestamping.com.  This wonderful and innovative lady by the name of Connie Stewart from Oklahoma came up with this idea of “Flash Cards”, i.e., cards in a flash.  Get it?!!!??  She has a whole series of videos that she has done on YouTube.  Please go by and check her out.  This is a really simple idea but you come up with great cards for any occasion.  I went to one of my favs from SU, Lovely as a Tree for my card.

·       Stamp set(s):  Stampin’ Up! – Lovely as a Tree & Thoughts & Prayers

·       Ink(s):  Stampin’ Up! – Old Olive & Early Espresso; Stampin’ Write Markers – Early Espresso; Ranger – Distress Ink in Antique Linen

·       Paper:  Stampin’ Up! – Early Espresso, Old Olive & Very Vanilla CS

·       Dies & Embossing folders:  Spellbinders – Classic Ovals Large & Classic Scalloped Ovals Large;  Stampin’ Up! – Square Lattice & Fancy Fan EF

·       Embellishments/Other things of note:  Stampin’ Up! – Linen Thread & Jewels Basic Rhinestones

I followed Connie’s instructions for cutting up my cs.  I stamped the tree on my Very Vanilla CS and distressed it with a sponge and the Antique Linen ink.  The sentiment went well with my Spellbinders dies.  I added some bling to the sentiment and a bow of linen thread, and I was done.  Quick, easy, beautiful – what’s not to love?  Thank you Kathy for telling me about this website and thank you Connie for your clever ideas.  I named my single tree Serenity Pine.  There is something very serene and elegant about this pine from Lovely as a Tree!

Thank you for taking the time to stop by.  Please feel free to leave a comment or join my e-mail distribution list so you’ll know when I’ve been a craftin’!

Many Blessings,

Donna