Trustworthy Anchor for Our Souls

Happy New Year Friends!

I hope all of you had a safe and fun New Years Eve!! My hubby and I have not gone out on New Year’s Eve for several years but enjoy celebrating at home with a quiet evening (we do watch ball drop at midnight:-)).   We had a nice time staying warm and I had a chance to create a few cards.

If you are a frequent visitor to my blog, you know that I like to participate with online challenges and incorporated the Viva La Verve December 2017 Sketch Challenge along with the Simon Says Wednesday “Anything Goes” Challenge into the design of this card.

If you have not had a chance to check out the above challenge sites yet, I hope you will do so- wonderful inspiration from their Design Teams as well as their galleries!

To create this card:

1). Ink the verse sentiment from Strong Anchor (Verve Stamps) with Tim Holtz™ (TH) Faded Denim Distress Ink, stamp onto white cardstock, apply clear embossing powder and heat set with a heat tool.  Once the embossing has cooled, die cut with the My Favorite Things™(MFT) Stitched Circle STAX Dies. Also die cut another circle (using the same size die) from navy cardstock, cut the navy circle in half and after step #2 below, adhere behind the stamped circle allowing just a bit of the die cut to show.

2).  Using a Clarity™ Stencil Brush, lightly brush TH Antique Linen Distress Ink over the entire circle, then repeat with additional Antique Linen Distress Ink over the Memory Box Stars All Stars Stencil. 

3). From the Cape Cod Stack (The Paper Studio) trim several pieces- the map pattern for the background, the striped pattern for the horizontal panel, the knotted rope for the vertical panel and several smaller pieces for the flag banners.

Die cut a piece of the anchor pattern with the smaller MFT Stitched Circle STAX Die (also die cutting a piece of navy cardstock with the same size die, splitting in half and adhering behind the die cut circle).

Distress the edges of the panels with a distressing tool, mount the map background onto a piece of navy cardstock, add the vertical panel.  Adhere the banners onto the back of the striped horizontal panel and mount onto the card front. 

Using hot glue, add the knotted natural polished hemp twine before mounting the die cut circle sentiment with dimensional foam.

4). Ink the ship wheel image with TH Vintage Photo Distress Ink, die cut with the coordinating Nautical Die Set (Verve Stamps).  Add the antique brass brad to the center.

5). Mount the die cut designer paper circle to the card front.  Add the looped natural polished hemp twine along with the die cut ship wheel to finish off the card.

Stamp Sets: Strong Anchor (Verve Stamps)

Ink/Mediums: Tim Holtz® Distress Ink- Faded Denim, Antique Linen, Vintage Photo

Cardstock/Paper: Whisper White, Night of Navy, Cape Cod Stack (The Paper Studio)

Accessories: Big Shot™, Nautical Die Set (Verve), MFT Stitched Circle STAX Dies, Embossing Buddy®, Clear Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Clarity™ Stencil Brush, MB Stars All Stars Stencil, Antique Brass Brad, Distressing Tool, Natural Polished Hemp Twine

Thanks again for visiting- I hope all of you have a wonderful week!

Philippians 1:6- He Who Has Begun A Good Work In You

Hi Friends!

I hope all of you had a fabulous weekend! I had a chance to finish a card this evening using Verve Stamps, Scripture Medley 3 for the Viva La Verve October 2017 Sketch Challenge.  

I also incorporated some Stampin' Up! retired paper, ribbon from my stash, sequins and a few die cuts along with the Color Throwdown #466 Challenge for the color palette and the Tic-Tac-Toe #021 Challenge (middle row across- Purple – Free- Sequins) for additional inspiration.

If you have not had a chance to check out the challenge sites yet, I encourage you to do so- gorgeous galleries and ideas from all!

To create this card:

1). Ink the Scripture Medley 3 verse sentiment with Versafine® Onyx Black ink, stamp onto white cardstock, apply clear embossing powder and heat set with a heat tool.  Once the powder has cooled, die cut the image with a stitched square die, mount onto espresso cardstock (trimming close to the edge) and use a stencil brush with a flourish stencil to apply antique linen distress ink.

2). Layer the rust gingham designer paper onto espresso cardstock, trim and mount onto olive cardstock.  Add the plum ribbon layer (per the vertical strip in the sketch) and mount the entire panel onto the espresso card front.  Adhere the card front onto the white card base.

3). Cut a piece of olive patterned paper to fit the stitched espresso rectangle die cut, mount the layered sentiment onto the panel and adhere to the card front with dimensional foam.

4). Die cut the leaf image from plum and rust cardstock, layer together and add to the card front with dimensional foam.

5). Finish off the card with a few purple sequins and the purple bow.

Stamp Sets: Scripture Medley 3 (Verve Stamps)

Ink/Mediums: Versafine® Onyx Black, Tim Holtz® Antique Linen Distress Ink

Paper: Whisper White, Cajun Craze, Early Espresso, Old Olive, Perfect Plum; retired Orchard Harvest and Merry Moments Designer Series Paper (all Stampin’ Up!)

Accessories/Tools: Big Shot™, My Favorite Things™ Square and Rectangle Stitched STAX Dies, SU! Seasonal Layers Thinlits™, Embossing Buddy®, Stampin’ Emboss® Clear Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, ½” Wired Purple Ribbon (from my stash), Purple Sequins (Crafters Medley),  Clarity™ Stencil Brush, Memory Box™ Heartland Stencil

Thanks again for taking the time to stop by- hugs and I hope you have a blessed week!

You Are the Potter

Hi Friends!

I am sure by now that most of you are aware of the devastation in Texas and my hubby, Dave and I are praying for all of Texas!  We have many "virtual" friends that live in Texas and know that they have a long road ahead, especially those in the Houston area.

We hope that everyone is safe and will continue to pray for you.

In addition to the sadness in the news, today was a bit stressful for Dave and I as well as for both of my sweet kitties!  It was their annual dental appointment and they were not happy “campers”.  Between having to “fast”, the car ride and staying at the vets most of the day, they are getting re-acquainted with one another this evening and we are hearing quite a bit of "hissing" (sister "kitty" owners are fully aware of what I mean :-)).

A very rare moment in 2015
when they sat together on the same chair :-)

I know, many of you probably think we are a bit crazy- why would you take a cat to have their teeth cleaned?  In the past, we did not take our other four kitties (all are now at the Rainbow Bridge) for yearly dental cleanings since did not have the $$ to do so.  After our last male kitty passed away in 2008 at age 12 from cancer (he was a stray we rescued at age one and he already had poor gums/teeth),  we found out that Banfield Hospital (located in our PetSmart store) offers yearly dental cleaning as part of one of their Wellness plans. 

We made the decision to sign up on the Banfield monthly billing plan with our two “girls”.  We hope by doing so that the yearly cleanings may help avoid dental issues that could develop into more permanent health concerns.  They are now 12+ years old and we want them to stay alive and healthy as long as possible (our oldest kitty lived to be 18 so we are hoping at least 20 for these two :-)).

While the "girls" were resting and recovering from the vet visit, I had a chance to create a card using Potter’s Clay from Verve Stamps for the Viva La Verve SketchAugust 2017 Sketch Challenge.  I just love Julee Tilman’s sketches and wanted to sneak this card in before the deadline!

I am also participating with the Simon Says Wednesday “Anything Goes” Challenge.  If you have not had a chance to visit either challenge yet, I hope you will do so- wow, what fabulous inspiration from all!

To create this card:

1). Trim three pieces of patterned paper (I used a retired pattern from Stampin’ Up!) into 1” x 4” strips, distress the edges and mount onto the stitched rectangle die cut from espresso cardstock.

2). Trim a piece of vanilla cardstock, mount onto an espresso card front and adhere to the white card base.

3). To create the horizontal portion of the sketch, trim another piece of the designer paper, distress the edges and mount onto espresso cardstock (trimming close to the edge).

4). Ink the sentiment from Potter’s Clay with ground espresso distress ink, stamp onto vanilla cardstock (I used my MISTI® Tool and stamped three times).  Apply clear embossing powder and heat set with a heat tool.  Die cut with a stitched circle die and layer onto another circle die cut from espresso cardstock.

5). Use a stencil brush to add brushed corduroy distress ink over the edges of the all of the panels and sentiment.  Ink a splatter stamp and stamp onto the panel and sentiment with ground espresso distress ink.

 6). Layer the horizontal strip directly to the card front, add the pieced designer paper panel with dimensional foam and mount the sentiment (using dimensional foam for the portion that hangs off the side of the dsp panel).

7). Ink the clay pot images from Potter’s Clay using distress ink- tea dye, rusty hinge for the smaller pot, ground espresso and brushed corduroy for the tallest pot and bundled sage with brushed corduroy for the vase.  Apply clear embossing powder on all, heat set with the heat tool and fussy-cut the images (FYI- Verve Stamps has a coordinating Potter Die Set but I do not own that yet :-)).

8). Mount the pots using dimensional foam to finish off the card.

Stamp Sets: Potter’s Clay (Verve Stamps), Timeless Textures (Stampin’ Up!)

Ink/Medium: Tim Holtz™ Distress Inks- Rusty Hinge, Brushed Corduroy, Tea Stain, Bundled Sage, Ground Espresso

Paper/Cardstock:  Very Vanilla, Early Espresso; retired Outlaw DSP

Accessories: Big Shot™, MFT Stitched Rectangle and Circle STAX, Spellbinders™ Circles Dies, Embossing Buddy®, Stampin’ Emboss™ Clear Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Hemp Twine, Distressing Tool

Thanks again for taking the time to visit! We are praying for all of Texas!  We hope that everyone is safe and will continue to pray for you as we know that Texas has a long road ahead.  Hugs and God Bless!