Autumn Blessings

This week, we have a SKETCH CHALLENGE... please use this sketch as a map for your card creation. 

Feel free to stretch it or flip it as you see fit, as long as your end creation layout resembles this original sketch... (the colours used on the sketch are only for clarity, and the text used is only to identify the sketch!) Of course you're free to use any embellishments or images you wish. Have fun!

Our sponsor at Twist of Faith  is The Doodle Garden... Jennifer has a wonderful selection of whimsical hand-drawn images for all occasions in her Doodle Garden etsy shop. The prize offered to our randomly drawn prize winner, consists of two newly released images that our Twist of Faith Design Team has showcased for you.  The images are named Autumn Blessings, (the one I've used) and Winter Bird. 

 

 Last night I made an apple crisp for our desert. Apples grow in north Georgia and many little towns in the area celebrate apple festivals/craft fairs to promote the harvest. It is one of the delightful "bounties" we celebrate in the fall. As I sat in my warm home enjoying my dessert, I was thankful of a loving God who has blessed me with goodness. There is a roof over my head, warm clothing on my body and food for my stomach. It saddens me to watch on the news pictures of families whose homes were destroyed in the recent storm that hit the northeastern part of the United States. Even in the wake of such destruction, we know that God is good. Complete strangers have rallied to help those who have lost much. Goodness and love for fellow man is being demonstrated in various ways as people pass out food, free blankets, services and just simple comfort.

The suggested verse this week posted on tje Twist of Faith blog is:

The heartfelt counsel of a friend is as as sweet as perfume and incense.
Proverbs 27:9

 

 It is a lovely verse, and I've had the blessings of having good friends who have been with me in times I've needed advice and comfort. But, as I watched scenes of complete strangers reaching out to help complete strangers simply because they are in need, I was struck by and touched by the  the good in people.

 

Silent Night

Today I'm sharing a little card that I made this past Wednesday while visiting one of my crafting friends. Dottie has one of those wonderful Silhouette cutters and a vast library of SVG cutting files. The black silhouette image of the manger is one of those lovely SVG files. We cut the image slightly smaller than 3" and were able to fill a whole 8.5 x 11" piece of black paper for a total of six images.

For this card, I combined the simplicity of the cut silhouette image with a bit of glitz. The background paper (DCWV) is silver and black glitter -- quite elegant looking! I matted that onto black card. The green patterned paper is from a little 6 x 6" Echo Park pad called Very Merry Christmas. The cranberry card (circle) is from my scrap bin (as is the bit of yellow I tucked behind the star opening on the image). The sentiment is part of a clear acrylic stamp that belongs to Dottie (sorry, don't know the manufacturer as it was not in a package). The stamp included a dove, but I covered that portion and only inked the word.

This was just a matter of layering the various pieces (circles cut with Spellbinder circle die), but it turned out oh so lovely. I was very impressed with the quality of the cutting using the Cameo Silhouette machine. There were no jagged edges nor rips.

Challenges:
http://dreamvalleychallenges.blogspot.com/ - Glitter and Bling
http://glitternsparklechallengeblog.blogspot.co.uk/ - Glitter and Sparkle
http://greatimpressionsstamps.blogspot.com/ - Celebrating the Seasons
http://joannasheenchallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/silhouettes.html - Silhouettes
http://pileitonchallenge.blogspot.com/ - Make It Sparkle
http://scrappers-delights-challenge-blog.blogspot.co.uk/ - Anything Goes
http://ribbongirls.blogspot.com/ - Add Sparkle
http://ourcreativecorner6.blogspot.com/ - Silhouette

Use the Pattern!

 

This week, for the Card Crafter's Circle challenge, we want you to Show us your hot creations using PATTERNED PAPER!

Our sponsor this week is the wonderful Bugaboo Stamps! Our randomly drawn challenge winner will receive their choice of 7 Bugaboo images... what a fantastic prize!

 My card is made using Bugaboo's Little Stocking Brat. Isn't he cute? I've colored him up in Christmas colors using my Copic markers. I added Stickles to the "fur" portions on his way long Santa cap and when dry, I fussy cut the little fellow.

For my card, I started with a white base, then layered green card and then the bauble DP. Across the center, I used a strip of DP with numbers that I matted with the green. I cut a lacy circle from the green card and a smaller circle (center) from dotty paper. All of the designer papers are from a 6x6" pad called Christmas Cottage by Teresa Collins. The green card is from Bazzill. The circles (to include the one used to mat the sentiment) are by Spellbinders (Lacy Circles S4-293 and Standard Circles Large S4-114).

The ribbon is from Offray, and the glitter domes are from Mark Richards (small ones) and Dress It Up holiday dots (large one). The package charm is one that I've had in my stash for more years than I want to admit (smile), so I can no longer remember where I purchased it.

Have fun making your patterned paper design and then remember to post it to this week's challenge. This should be an easy challenge for all you creative people; after all, we do so like our colors and patterns during the holidays, right?

Challenges:
http://pictureandscrap.blogspot.com/ - Christmas
http://abcchristmaschallenge.blogspot.com/ - Vibrant Colors
http://divasbydesignchallenge.blogspot.com/ - Christmas
http://inkyimpressionschallenges.blogspot.com/ - Lots of Layers
http://whimsyinspires.blogspot.com/ - Sparkles
http://citycrafter.blogspot.com/ - 3+1 challeng
http://raisethebarchallenge.blogspot.com/2012/11/challenge-118.html - Anything Goes

Harvest Time/Thanks Giving

Hello! I hope, as I post this blog entry and new challenge at Twist of Faith that you are safe. Mother Nature has been causing quite a bugaboo along the east coast of the US. Sending up praises and thanksgiving that, while not good in many places, it did not "hit" in areas first anticipated or feared. Nothing like this is ever "good," and the destruction in areas of New Jersey and New York has been devestating, but the loss has been property and not lives, and for that we give thanks -- leading me into this week's theme at Twist of Faith --

Your card creation should depict a HARVEST time.... be it in autumnal colours and images, perhaps a country/farm creation reminding us that our bountiful tables and bellies are filled by others who work the land, or a creation of THANKS to someone, or a celebration of THANKSGIVING! Remember our 'twist of faith'  and  make sure your creation includes a scripture, quote or an uplifiting sentiment that suits this week's theme.

"They will celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness."

Psalm 145:7 NIV

 

"We thank God for you all the tine and we pray for you."
I Thessalonians 1:2 NLV

Our sponsor this week is  StampArt Design by Kathryne! Our random prize winner will receive their choice of 4 images from the SADK collection available at Whimsy Stamps! If you are not yet familiar with Kathryne and her images, you MUST visit her site. I was first introduced to her wonderful images via her sponsorship on our Card Crafter's Circle challenge blog. I quickly "fell in love" with her wonderful images, and you will, too!

 

Using the delightful scarecrow and pumpkin image, I have colored, as usual, with Copic markers after printing my image onto X-Press Blend card. Once colored, I cut the image card into a square/rectangle and matted it with green and then rust card. My base card is brown card, and my DPs are all from Simple Stories' 6x6" pad called Harvest Lane. Because my paper is a bit fussy, I've kept my embellishments minimal in order not to distract from my wonderful image and my sentiment. I've only added four small glitter dots (two on the upper right corner and two on the upper corners of my image). The glitter dots started out white, but I colored them rust orange using a Copic marker.

 

My sentiment is: Be JOYFUL always; PRAY continually; GIVE THANKS in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. I Thess. 5: 16-18

 

This is a lovely verse, but a very difficult one to carry in our hearts. We are always quick to give thanks when things are going well. It is easy to give thanks for our blessings when they are obvious. It is far more difficult to give thanks in all circumstances when we have allowed our discouragement to turn our hearts away from the truth that God is taking care of us at all times. It is much harder to say thank you when we forget that what we have to be thankful for is a loving God who knows our pain and our suffering and who has promised to carry us through the storms.

 

I have heard people make the statement, "I have nothing to be thankful for --" The verse tells us to give thanks in all circumstances -- not easy when you are out of work or sick or, have lost your home, or whatever else is weighing heavily on your heart -- No, my friend, it is not easy, but then neither was our Savior's journey to Calvary carrying the heavy cross but He made that journey, and therein is always a reason to give thanks!

 

God bless you all. I am so very thankful for each of you who visit my blog. Please take a few minutes, if you can, and visit our Twist of Faith challenge blog to see more wonderful images by Kathryne and the lovely cards the other DT members made using them.

Challenges:
http://kaboodledoodles.blogspot.com/ - Fall Items
http://totallystampalicious.blogspot.com/ - Anything Goes
 

Dutch Paper Craft Release

Hello everyone. I have no still photos of cards to share with you this evening, but I do have a video, if you are interested. I'm not sure if I mentioned on this blog or not that at the end of September, I somehow contracted a deadly virus on my computer and lost my entire drive. We are not sure how and exactly when I got it, but one morning I started having problems and by the evening, the virus had systematically taken over and destroyed all of my files and my entire hard drive. This was highly frustrating since, at the time, I had not one but THREE virus and malware programs running. Well, I ended up having to buy a new computer. The reason I'm explaining all of this is by way of letting you know that I lost photos and documents that were on my hard drive. I usually store photos and important data on several external drives, but had not had a chance to move August and September files to the external drives.

That brings me to the video and lack of still photos of my cards to share with you. Today Darlene Placito of Dutch Paper Crafts (for whom I'm one of the DT Members) released a set of dies and stamps for which I'd done the samples. Usually after Darlene takes the dies live via her blog and a video showing, we DT members share the still pictures of our samples and give you details of what we've done to make them. Fortunately, I did find the written information of what I did. Unfortunately, I didn't find any photos of my cards.

So, if you are interested and have an extra five minutes to spare, you can see the video of my cards on Darlene's  blog at http://dutchpapercrafts.blogspot.com. (My release is the second video.)

And, if you do watch, here are the written details of my cards: (Thanks to a sweet friend whom I shared a few of my cards before mailing to Dutch Paper Crafts, I am able to share a couple of the cards shown on the video. Bless her heart, she kept my pictures and has sent them back to me.)

Tilda with Lamb Card:

          Pink card stock

          DP by My Mind’s Eye, “Fine and Dandy Girl” Pad

          Beads by Recollection

          Aqua flower by Prima

          Pink flowers by Wild Orchid Crafts

          Ink for stamp by Close to My Heart

          Image by Magnolia Stamps

          Tag – Marianne CR1212

          Sentiment – Marianne SF1113

 

Flying By Butterfly Card

          Brown card base

          Yellow DP by My Mind’s Eye, Howdy Doody Pad

          Spellbinder Labels 8

          Lace from Jolee called French General

          Flowers by Wild Orchid Crafts

          Leaves from McGill leaf punch

          Corners (inside) from Life Style Crafts DC0317, Flourish borders

          Butterfly image by Magnolia Stamps

          Ribbon from stash

 

Tilda with Teddy Bear

          Green card for base

          DP from My Mind’s Eye, Howdy Doody pad

          Flowers by Wild Orchid Crafts

          Ticket tag – Marianne CR1212

          Sentiment – Marianne SF1113

          Image by Magnolia Stamps

 

White on White Card (no still photo available - see video)

          All 4 pieces of LR0234

          Cut and embossed dies from white card

          Layered dies raising every other one using foam dimension pop-up dots

          Pearls by Recollections

          Sentiment stamp (inside) by Great Impressions (quote by Mother Teresa)

         

Hooked on You

          White card base

          Blue card from stash for mats

          DP by My Mind’s Eye, Away We Go and Quite Contrary, Jack & Jill pads

          Image by Magnolia Stamps

          Sentiment – Marianne SF1113

          Oval Die for sentiment – CR1212

          Pink glitter chipboard letter U by Me & My Big Ideas
 

Happy Birthday Card (no still photo available - see video)

          White card base

          Black card for mats

          DP from Fancy Pants, Beach Babe pad

          Sentiment – Marianne SF1113

          Image by Di’s Digi Stamps

          Flowers by Prima

          Center of flowers dots by Heidi Grace

Wishing You a Nice Day (no still photo available - see video)

          White card

          Green card mat

          DP from My Mind’s Eye – Lost & Found, Market Street pad

          Large die from Marianne LR0234

          Sentiment from Marianne SF1113

          Ticket tag from Marianne CR1212

          Ribbon by Offray

 

Thanks and hugs,

Jenée

A Day at the Races

It's Spring Racing Carnival time in Australia, so they are media saturated with images of beautiful people in glamorous clothes, striking Race Horses with their jockeys and silks, rose gardens and champagne. Since our wonder Card Crafter's Circle blog owner is Australian (as is one of our great DT members), our challenge for you this week, is to create a card, fitting our theme...

A DAY AT THE RACES
(GLITZ and GLAMOUR)

Will you show us horses in the winner's circle? The champagne and canapes? Or the Ladies and the Fashions on the Field? Whatever it is, make sure it's Glitzed and Glamoured!





Here in the USA, the racing season has come to an end. We have run the Kentucky Derby, Preaknes, and all the other circuts. When I think of the races, I do think of the haute coutour hats and clothes. I, unfortunately, didn't have an image of a lady wearing a high style hat (which would have been my choice), so I went looking for freebies on the internet. Sadly, because I am running behind, I failed to note where I got this imge and the artist's name. If anyone recognizes it, will you please let me know so that I can give appropriate credit? I printed off the image and colored it with Copic markers. I used a Sakura Jelly Roll clear star glitter pen for her jewelry to imitate diamonds.

The DP is from the MME pad called Cowboy. The roses are from WOC and Recollections. I painted red Stickles on all three of the roses for extra glitz and sparkle. The jewel swirls are by Recollections.

If you have a minute or two, please drop over to the Card Crafter's Circle blog and have a look at what my fellow teammates created for this fun theme. Thanks! Have a blessed week.

Flutter By Challenge 211

This week, at Flutter By Wednesday, we are asking you to use a sketch in addition to your butterfly or fairy image. One of our wonderful DT members, Kathy Curry, has challenged us to use the fantastic sketch below:

 

 

The image that I used is a stamp that I received as a "bonus" when I purchased a card making magazine that is published in the UK. The set is called Fairies of the Season and is by Sarah Williams. There are four delightful images in the set depicting each of the four seasons. I stamped off my winter fairy and scanned it because the actual stamps are only about 1 to 1.5" each, and I wanted my image to be larger. After enlarging the image in Word, I printed it off on Cryogen card and colored it with Copic markers. I added Stickles to the "fur" areas.

 

After my Stickles were good and dry, I cut the image in a circle shape using my Coluzzel (HA! I finally remembered what those things are called! They are an older tool, a forerunner to the Spellbinder, Life Style Crafts, etc. metal dies we use now.) I cut a second circle with a slightly larger Coluzzel out of gold paper and matted the image with it. I then used a white card base and layered it first with the gold paper and then with cranberry card. I then cut strips of DP and layered them on top of the cranberry.

 

My cranberry colored ribbon has a metalic center which adds to the festive flaire. The white poinsettia flower (from Michaels) came with a coarse white glitter on the petals, but I added red Stickles to the smaller, red poinsettias (WOC).

 

I do hope you will join us this week in the challenge at Flutter By Wednesday. Just remember this week you MUST use the sketch as well as use either a butterfly or fairy. Even if you might not have time this week to enter the challenge, I do hope you will have a few minutes to have a look at the beautiful cards the DT have made for your inspiration and enjoyment.

Challenges:
 



http://emeraldfaeries.blogspot.co.uk/ - Anything Goes
http://ladyanhttp://www.craftyourpassionchallenges.blogspot.com/ - Anything Goes
http://www.craftyourpassionchallenges.blogspot.com/ - Fairies and Fantasy
http://eurekastamps.blogspot.com/ - Things with Wings
http://cateredcrop.com/ - Use Circles
http://challenges4everybody.blogspot.co.uk/ - Anything Goes
http://christmascardchallenges.blogspot.com/ - Christmas with Bow