New Life

This week's #31 challenge theme is:

NEW LIFE!
(Think Spring, New Baby, or a renewal for you!)

Your creation should also include a scripture,

uplifting verse or positive words/quote

"We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life."
Romans 6:4

We are so happy to have the Michelle Perkett Studio as our sponsor this week! Michelle hand draws the most beautiful and character filled images, with a special love for fairies, and mermaids!  There are beautiful Christian images and sentiments to be found at the MPS Etsy Store.  Sign up for the newsletter and blog updates, at the Michelle Perkett Studio blog, so you know when the new images are released, and watch out for wonderful freebies!  Oh, and if you love rubber stamps, you can find some of Michelle's designs in rubber at Sparkle N Sprinkle!

Our random prize winner will receive their choice of one of the images we have showcase for you!

When I received my lovely image from Michelle, I wondered at how this fit our new life theme for this week. Then I found a beautiful piece on the internet about the Lotus flower. The little story tells how the lotus blossom grows in muddy water and rises above the surface to bloom with remarkable beauty. The story goes on to tell how the Chinese use the lotus flowers to inspire people to continue to strive through difficulties and to show their best to the outside world. Each night, the lotus flower closes up and sinks back into the murky waters, to rise again the next morning. WOW! How many of us have the ability to rise above our negative situations and to bloom with extraordinary beauty? The answer is that by being born again in Christ and with God's every lasting love, we all can rise above whatever muddy situations we may be in.

I have created my card using my grand labels dies from Spellbinder. I took the largest of the dies and cut the shape from black card. I then folded the card in half. I then cut a gold card using half of the next size die and then a third piece from red with the next size smaller die. I embossed the red piece with a Cuttlebug embossing folder (Wicker Weave 2001269). I then cut my image (which I colored using Copic markers) into a square and matted it with a dark purple mat. I adhered that to a frame that I cut using Marianne die (CR1203). I adhered the Marianne die so that it stands slightly above the fold of the black card. Lastly, I added tiny pearls to the image and larger pearls all around the sides and bottom of the red label.

On the inside, I typed part of the legend of the lotus blossom and printed it off on red, cutting it with the label die. I cut a larger purple label and adhered the red to it, then both to the black card. The portion of the legend I used for the inside reads:

The lotus flower grows in muddy water and rises above the surface to bloom with remarkable beauty. At night the flower closes and sinks underwater, at dawn it rises and opens again. Chinese poets use lotus flowers to inspire people to continue striving through difficulties and to show their best part to the outside world, no matter how bad the circumstance may be. This is as being like the lotus flower, bringing beauty and light from the murky darkness at the bottom of the pond.

There is room for me to add a personal note to the recipient, and I very much see this card as one of encouragement for someone having a difficult time.

Now, if you are still with me (smile), please hop over to the Twist of Faith blog and have a look at the lovely cards the other DT members have made this week for your inspiration. Then, consider joining in this week's challenge. We'd love to see your artwork. Remember, though, in order to qualify for the prize, your card must contain a scripture or inspirational poem, song or verse.