TCC112 Your Labor Is Not In Vain

Hi Friends!

It's time for The Card Concept #112 {Cottage Florals} Challenge!  

Isn’t this photo gorgeous?  I love the colors of the flowers, the distressed wood as well as the wonderful foliage and decided to create a Shabby Chic Mixed Media card!

This month has been a month of saying “good-bye” to two of our friends as they went home to be with the Lord.  I served with both of them on Sunday mornings on our finance committee and this verse was one of their favorites. 

 Both men were wonderful examples of serving the Lord with all of their heart and will be greatly missed.  It is such a comfort though to know that they had accepted Christ as their Lord and Savior and we will see them again one day in heaven. 

I am confident that they both received a "Well Done, Good and Faithful Servant" from the Lord and I can only pray that I will be as faithful as they were in serving Him with all of my heart all of the days of my life here on earth.  

I am also linking this card to Retro Rubber #107 Tic-Tac-Toe Challenge- middle row down (Sparkle- Leaves- Heat Embossing), the Work It Wednesday March 2019 “Spring Flowers” Challenge and the Word Art Wednesday #380-#381 “Anything Goes” Challenge. 

For the Retro Rubber Challenge, you need to use older stamps.  The Serve the Lord stamp set (retired Our Daily Bread Designs) is from 2011 and Choose Happiness (retired Stampin’ Up!) from 2014.  Also, it is difficult to see the shimmer on the flower petals, but trust me, they are sparkling  :-)

If you have not had a chance to visit us at The Card Concept or the other challenge sites yet, I hope you will find time to do so- fabulous inspiration from all!

To create this card:

1). De-static two pieces of white cardstock with an embossing powder tool.   Using Versafine™ Onyx Black Ink, stamp three of the floral image from Choose Happiness (retired Stampin’ Up!) along with multiples of the branch image onto the panel, apply clear embossing powder and heat set with the heat tool. 

2). Once the embossing has cooled, watercolor the images using water-based markers (the colors I used are listed below).  Fussy cut the images and set aside.

3). On a piece of woodgrain designer paper (from the retired Adventure Abounds designer series Stack), use a stencil with a putty knife to apply crackle texture paste.  Once the paste has dried, apply distress stain to color the designer paper and create the background.  Distress the edges and mount onto a piece of black cardstock. 

4). Ink the sentiment from Serve the Lord (retired Our Daily Bread Designs) using Versafine™ Onyx Black Ink, stamp onto a piece of white cardstock, dilute a few of the colors of the distress stain and apply to the sentiment.  Trim the panel, distress the edges and mount onto a piece of black cardstock (I used a scrap piece of chipboard).  

5). Add a piece of white crocheted lace along with a piece of black seam binding to the card front (wrap the ends of the seam binding behind the panel).  Mount the entire panel onto a white card base.

6).  Cut one of the fussy cut flowers in half.  Adhere the sentiment using dimensional foam and adhere the fussy-cut stems and flowers around the sentiment. 

7).  Use a clear glitter pen to add shimmer to the flower petals and an extra fine white paint pen to add a few white highlights to the floral centers.

8). Add pearls to the sentiment to finish off the card.

Stamp Sets:  Choose Happiness (retired Stampin’ Up!), Serve the Lord (retired Our Daily Bread Designs)

Ink/Mediums: Versafine™ Onyx Black,  Stampin’ Write Markers-Blushing Bride, Rich Razzleberry, Calypso Coral, retired Gable Green, Lucky Limeade, Yo-Yo Yellow; Tim Holtz® Distress Stain- Black Soot, Frayed Burlap, Stormy Sky; Spectrum Noir™ Clear Glitter Pen, Sharpie® Extra Fine White Paint Pen

Cardstock/Paper: Whisper White, Basic Black, retired Stampin’ Up! Adventure Abounds Designer Series Stack

Tools/Accessories:  Embossing Buddy®, Clear Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Chipboard, Distressing Tool, Wendy Vecchi™ Crackle Texture Paste, The Crafters Workshop™ Well Rounded Stencil, Palette Knife, White Crochet Lace, ½” Black Seam Binding, Pearls

Thank you for taking the time to visit!  Just a reminder that The Card Concept is a bi-weekly challenge that has an inspiration photo along with a suggestion of design styles that you can choose from to create your card- Clean and Simple, Clean and Graphic, Clean and Layered, Shabby Chic, Freestyle Collage, Classy and Elegant and Mixed Media (or you can combine several styles for your own style).

I hope I have inspired you to create your own card based on our {Cottage Florals} photo and link up to our gallery at The Card Concept- we would love to see your interpretation!! The challenge is open until Monday, April 15th at noon (EST).

Thank You For All That You Do

Hi Again Friends!!

This is the last card that I designed this past weekend in my stamping spree and this card incorporates the Splitcoaststampers’ (SCS) CC586 "Green Pool Mist" Color Challenge (minus the dessert :-)) and a new challenge site for me-  Retro Rubber Challenge Blog #40 "Kind of Sketchy" Challenge along with Our Daily Bread Design (ODBD) stamps.

The Retro Rubber Challenge Blog's challenges focus on using older stamps so I decided to pull out the retired stamp set, Serving the Lord (ODBD).  

I love the idea of using our older stamps since it seems as though most of us focus on the newer, more current stamps and our older, retired stamps are collecting dust :-)  I have decided that I am going to ink up at least one retired set per week and am so thrilled to have found the Retro Rubber Challenge Blog site!

The retired Serve the Lord stamp set (from 2011 in cling mount rubber) originally included several sentiments along with the Crocheted Circle Poppy image (this floral image is still available as a single clear stamp from ODBD along with the coordinating Crochet Circle Die :-)).  

If you have not had an opportunity to check out the above challenge sites, I hope you will find the time to do so- gorgeous inspiration from all!

To create this card:

Ink the Chalkboard Vine Background (ODBD) stamp using Sponge Daubers with Pool Party, Marina Mist and Garden Green Classic Ink, spritz lightly with water and stamp onto a piece of Whisper White cardstock.

Trim the background panel, layer onto a piece of Pool Party cardstock.

Add the embossed Garden Green cardstock layer (from my stash already embossed with the retired Lacy Brocade Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folder), add the White Crochet Lace trim, 

1" Black Satin Ribbon  and the ¼” Stitched Pool Party Ribbon.

Ink the sentiment from Serve the Lord (ODBD) with Stāz-On® Jet Black Ink and stamp below the crochet trim (I used my MISTI® Tool for placement).

Layer the entire background panel onto a piece of Garden Green cardstock and mount onto the Extra Thick Whisper White card base.

Ink the poppy image from the retired Serve the Lord (ODBD) with Stāz-On® Jet Black Ink and stamp onto Whisper White cardstock (FYI-as I mentioned above, this pretty Crocheted Poppy image is still currently available as a single stamp from ODBD without all of the sentiments in the original set).

Use Stampin’ Write Markers to color the flowers (Pool Party, Marina Mist and Garden Green), add water with an AquaPainter™ to blend and soften the edges. 

Use a Sahara Sand Stampin’ Write marker for the shadows and apply Clear Wink of Stella® to the blossoms.

Cut out the image with the Big Shot™ and the ODBD Crocheted Circle Die and mount the die cut focal image with dimensional foam to finish off the card.

Stamp Sets: Serve the Lord (retired ODBD), Chalkboard Vine Background (ODBD)

Ink: Stāz-On® Jet Black, Classic Ink- Garden Green, Marina Mist, Pool Party; Stampin’ Write Markers- Garden Green, Marina Mist, Pool Party, Sahara Sand; Clear Wink of Stella®

Paper: Extra Thick and Regular Whisper White, Garden Green, Pool Party

Accessories: MISTI® Tool, Big Shot™, ODBD Crocheted Circle Die, retired Lacy Borcade Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folder, ¼” Pool Party Stitched Satin Ribbon, 1” Black Satin Ribbon, White Crochet Lace, AquaPainter™

Thanks again for taking the time to visit- hugs and I hope you have a fabulous week!

Serve the Lord- A Color and Sketch Challenge :-)

Hi Again Stampers! 

I wanted to share another card that I created this past week using the CMCC73 Colour MeChallenge along with the HSSSC212 Hand Stamped Sentiments Sketch Challenge.

If you have not had a chance to do so, I hope you will find the time to visit both sites to check out their wonderful Design Teams as well as their challenge galleries!

To create this card:

Ink the Our Daily Bread Design (ODBD) floral image from Serve the Lord with Stāz-On® Jet Black Ink and stamp onto a piece of Whisper White cardstock.

Color the image using an AquaPainter™ along with the Classic Ink Pads and Stampin’ Write markers- Pumpkin Pie, Rich Razzleberry, Blackberry Bliss and Lost Lagoon.

Create shadows using the Sahara Sand Stampin’ Write Marker and cut the image out using the Big Shot™ with the ODBD Crochet Circle Die Cut.

Ink the sentiment from Serve the Lord with Stāz-On® Jet Black Ink and stamp onto a piece of Whisper White cardstock.

Ink the Honeycomb Background stamp using Rich Razzleberry Classic Ink and use your fingers to press portions of the background onto the sentiment panel.

Layer the panel onto a piece of Pumpkin Pie cardstock, trim and mount onto the Blackberry Bliss card base.

Mount a piece of Pumpkin Pie Designer Series Paper (DSP) and a piece of Moonlight DSP onto Blackberry Bliss cardstock to create the horizontal panels for the sketch.

Add the panels to the card front and mount the floral circle using Stampin’ Dimensionals®.

Add the Rich Razzleberry button (with the Pumpkin Pie cardstock strip for “thread”) to finish off the card.

Stamps: Serve the Lord, Honeycomb Background (both ODBD)

Ink: Stāz-On® Jet Black, Pumpkin Pie, Rich Razzleberry, Blackberry Bliss, Lost Lagoon; Stampin’ Write Markers- Pumpkin Pie, Rich Razzleberry, Blackberry Bliss, Lost Lagoon, Sahara Sand

Paper: Whisper White, Pumpkin Pie, Blackberry Bliss; Moonlight and Pumpkin Pie DSP

Accessories: Big Shot™, ODBD Crochet Circle Die, Rich Razzleberry Button

Thanks again for stopping by- have a fabulous weekend, my friends!

On Eagle's Wings- Thank You for Your Service to the Lord :-)

Hi Again Stampers! 

Here is another Thank You card that I designed this week using inspiration from the The Paper Players PP246 Sketch along with the Our Daily Bread Designs Shining the Light ODBDSLC240 Fluttering and Flying Theme Challenge.

My husband and I love to watch birds and we have pleasure of seeing a Bald Eagle in the wild along the Potomac River and this stamp set combined with the paper reminded us of that rare moment :-)

If you have not had a chance to do so, I hope you will find the time to both of the challenge sites- so much inspiration from their Design Teams as well as their challenge galleries!

To create this card:

Trim a piece of Adventure Bound Designer Series Paper (DSP) and mount onto a piece of Early Espresso cardstock.

Ink the eagle from On Eagle’s Wings (ODBD) stamp set using Stāz-On® Jet Black Ink  and stamp onto a piece of Whisper White cardstock.

Color the eagle with Stampin’ Write Markers (Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Crushed Curry and Sahara Sand) and fussy-cut the image.

Mount the eagle onto the DSP layer with Stampin’ Dimensionals®.

Close-up of Eagle 

Use the Big Shot™ with the Chevron Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folder to emboss a piece of Crumb Cake cardstock and the Woodgrain Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folder to emboss a piece of Early Espresso cardstock.

Ink the sentiment from the Our Daily Bread Designs (ODBD) Serve the Lord stamp set with Early Espresso Classic Ink and stamp onto a piece of Whisper White cardstock.

Layer the sentiment along with the embossed Crumb Cake onto a piece of Lost Lagoon cardstock and cover the seam with the embossed Early Espresso.

Add the three retired Circle Brads per the sketch and mount the entire panel onto the Early Espresso card base.

Adhere the eagle panel to the card front using Stampin’ Dimensionals® to finish off the card.

Stamps: On Eagle’s Wings, Serve the Lord (both ODBD)

Ink: Stāz-On® Jet Black, Early Espresso; Stampin’ Write Markers- Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Crushed Curry, Sahara Sand

Paper: Whisper White, Crumb Cake, Lost Lagoon, Early Espresso; Adventure Bound DSP

Accessories: Big Shot™, Chevron and Woodgrain Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folders, Circle Brads (retired)

Thanks again for stopping  by- have a fabulous Friday, my friends!!

Peace On Earth- A Poinsettia Christmas for Two Challenges

Hi Stampers! 

I wanted to create a few more Christmas cards for my stash this weekend and for the first card decided to use the Our Daily Bread Designs ODBDSCL226 Sketch Challenge along with the CMCC58 Colour Me! Challenge.

If you have not already visited the above sites, I hope you will take the time to stop by- so many great ideas and inspiration!

To create this card:

Ink the Poinsettia Image using Memento™ Tuxedo Black Ink and stamp onto a piece of Whisper White cardstock. 

  

Color the image using an AquaPainter™ with Pink Pirouette and Cherry Cobbler Classic Ink.  Add additional dimension and details using Stampin’ Write Markers- Crumb Cake for the leaves, Pink Pirouette and Cherry Cobbler for the petals.

Use the Big Shot™ with the Our Daily Bread Designs (ODBD) Poinsettia Die set to cut out the image.

Ink the Serve the Lord floral image using Early Espresso Classic Ink and stamp onto Whisper White cardstock.  Use the Big Shot™ with the ODBD Crochet Circle Die to cut out the image and use a Sponge Dauber with Crumb Cake Classic Ink to “antique” the paper.

Trim a panel of Whisper White cardstock to approx. 2 ¾” wide x 4” long- adhere a piece of Pink Pirouette cardstock to the lower part of the panel and mount onto a piece of Cherry Cobbler cardstock.

Adhere the ODBD Beautiful Border die cut with a strip of Pink Pirouette to cover the top cut edge of the die and mount the Poinsettia focal image using Stampin’ Dimensionals®.

Use the Big Shot™ with the Woodgrain Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folder to emboss a piece of Pink Pirouette Designer Series Paper (DSP).  Trim the panel and mount onto the Pink Pirouette card base.

Use the Big Shot™ with the ODBD Vintage Flourish Pattern Die to cut the outer frame from Cherry Cobbler cardstock and mount the frame to the card front.

Ink the sentiment from the retired Holly Tag set using Cherry Cobbler Classic Ink and stamp onto Whisper White cardstock.  Cut out using the Large Oval Punch and mount onto two ovals from Pink Pirouette and two ovals from Cherry Cobbler (overlap the ovals behind the sentiment to allow just a part of the punch to show).

Mount the sentiment to the card front using Stampin’ Dimensionals® and add the Pearls to the sentiment and the center of the Poinsettia to finish off the card.

Stamp Sets:  Blessed Christmas, Holly Tag, Serve the Lord (all ODBD)

Ink: Memento™ Tuxedo Black, Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Cherry Cobbler, Pink Pirouette; Stampin’ Write Markers- Cherry Cobbler, Crumb Cake, Pink Pirouette

Paper:  Whisper White, Cherry Cobbler, Pink Pirouette; Pink Pirouette Designer Series Paper

Accessories:  Big Shot™, Woodgrain Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folder, ODBD Custom Dies- Crochet Circle, Poinsettia, Beautiful Borders, Vintage Flourish Pattern; Large Oval Punch, Pearls, AquaPainter™, Sponge Dauber

Thanks again for taking the time to visit- I will be posting the second card that I created using the ODBDSLC226 Sketch shortly...Have a great week, my friends!

Your Labor in the Lord- Two Challenges in One

Hi Stampers! 

I wanted to create a card using a few images that I had previously printed out from My Digital Studio (MDS) and decided to use the FabFri47 Sketch Challenge along with the Just Add Ink JAI225 Color Challenge.

I hope you will have time to check out the both challenge sites - so much inspiration!!

To create this card:

Open a blank document in My Digital Studio (MDS), position the ship and compass images from The Open Sea and print out onto Whisper White cardstock.  

Add shadows to the sails, ocean and compass using the Smoky Slate Stampin’ Blendabilities™ Collection and add a few more waves using a Sakura .005 Micron Pen.

Use the Big Shot™ with the Deco Label Collection Framelits™ to cut out the ship image and the Circle Framelits™ for the compass (cutting an extra piece from Basic Black cardstock).   Cut the Basic Black frames in half and spread about a bit behind the images to allow a bit of the Basic Black to show.

Use the Big Shot™ to emboss a piece of I Am Me Designer Series Paper (DSP) with the Woodgrain Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folder and adhere this panel to a piece of Basic Black cardstock.

Add the ship focal image with a few scraps of Basic Black cardstock on the sides, adhere the layered sentiment (from Our Daily Bread stamped onto Whisper White cardstock, trimmed and mounted onto Basic Black cardstock) and compass using Stampin’ Dimensionals®. 

Add the Basic Gray Candy Dots to finish off the card.

Stamp Sets:  The Open Sea (MDS version), Serve The Lord (Our Daily Bread Designs)

Ink: Printer Ink- Black, Memento™ Tuxedo Black, Blendabilities™- Smoky Slate Collection, Sakura .005 Micron Pen

Paper: Whisper White, Basic Black, So Saffron DSP (retired I Am Me DSP)

Accessories: Big Shot™, Deco Label and Circle Collection Framelits™, Wooodgrain Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folder, Candy Dots

Thanks again for stopping by- I hope you have a terrific Tuesday!!