Magnify Him with Thanksgiving

 Hello! I hope you are all having a good week. I'm sorry I missed posting for the last Word Art Wednesday challenge. We had an emergency at work and then it's been crazy ever since. Whew! I'll post the card I made for the last challenge at the end of this post. For this week's challenge our focus verse is Psalm 69:30, "I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving." This is the time of year that our thoughts turn to thanksgiving. After the year we've all had in 2020, it's even more important to focus on our blessings. The Lord has been so good to all of us. I am so thankful that He is still on the throne in control. God is good!!

For my card this week, I wanted the verse to be the focus.I chose this MFT sketch 353 to be the inspiration for my card. I stayed fairly close to the sketch and used one of my favorite rose gold foil cardstocks for some added pizzazz.

Supplies:

Sketch: MFTWSC353

Cardstock: Recollections (rose gold foil, #110 white for card base), Darice (red, brown), Pen & Gear (white cardstock)

Patterned Paper: Pink & Main (Take Flight 6 x 6)

Stamp: WORDart by Karen (Psalm 69:30)

Tools/Embellishments: Spellbinders dies (Standard Circle Large, Petite Scalloped Circle Large), Big Lots ribbon, The Paper Studio gems

My card for the last challenge:

Supplies:

Divinity Designs Center Step Cards card base

Cardstock: Recollections (rose gold foil), Darice (brown), Pen & Gear (white)

Patterned Paper - unknown manufacturer

Stamp: WORDart by Karen (Exodus 15:13)

Tools/Embellishment: Spellbinders Classic Squares (Large & Small), Big Lots Ribbon, Eyelet Outlet jewels (gray), The Paper Studio sequins

Thanks for stopping by to visit today. I hope you and your loved ones have a wonderful Thanksgiving. Please stop by the Word Art Wednesday blog so that you can be inspired by the rest of the Design Team.

Most Viewed Posts in 2018

I enjoy looking back to see which blog posts received the most views for the past year. This year I have to do a top eleven because the #9 spot had a 3-way tie. Thank you to all of you who have visited my blog this past year and an extra thank you to those who have left a comment of encouragement. You are a blessing to me. I hope you'll visit often in 2019. Happy New Year!!

Click each card title link to be taken to the blog post for card details & supply list.


# 9-11 Post for 2018 (3-way tie)

Love You So Much

Mighty Waves of the Sea

God Gives Wisdom

#8 Post for 2018

Following the Shepherd 

#7 Post for 2018

Sunflower Season 

#6 Post for 2018

Be Ye Strong 

#5 Post for 2018

Thanks a Latte! 

#4 Post for 2018

Because of His Lovingkindness 

#3 Post for 2018

Our Guide 

#2 Post for 2018

Paper Sweeties 6th Birthday Challenge 

#1 Post for 2018

Ye Shall Not Fear Them

  

Mighty Waves of the Sea

Hello! I hope your week is going well. Mine has been a busy but good week. It's time for another Word Art Wednesday Challenge. This week we're focusing on Psalm 93:4, "The Lord on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty waves of the sea." When you stand on the ocean shore and gaze out over the waves, you can't help but be amazed at the power and majesty of the ocean. Sometimes, the waves roll gently to shore and at other times they crash and roar. The Lord, the Creator of all, is mightier than the powerful waves of the ocean and in fact, controls their movements.  Sometimes in our lives, it seems like the waves of trials roar and crash against our souls and we wonder, "Does God know? Does He care?" He is mightier than those types of waves too. He does care and He is right there beside you to guide you safely to the shore. At least 15 times in the book of Psalms, God is spoken of as our refuge. My two favorites are: Psalm 57:1, "Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast." and Psalm 91:2, "I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust." If the trials in your life seem to be threatening to toss you in the billowing waves, turn to the Lord and allow Him to be your refuge.

When I read this week's verse, I knew the papers from the By the Shore collection by Our Daily Bread Designs would be perfect for it. I chose to make a center step card and used two of the papers from the collection on the front.

The sentiment panel was matted and popped up at an angle over a ribbon loop accented with a button and baker's twine. I die cut some birds from a scrap of patterned paper. After adhering them to the card front and sentiment panel, they were coated first with Wink of Stella and then with Nuvo Jewel Drops. I really like the epoxy look they have. A trio of sequins finishes off the card front.

For the interior decorating, a sentiment was stamped on another one of the patterned papers in the collection. This panel was matted and then adhered to the card interior.

The finished card is approx 5.5" square and will stand up for display.

Supplies:
Cardstock: Core'dinations (Black Iris), Recollections (kraft), Georgia Pacific (white)
Patterned Paper: Our Daily Bread Designs (By the Shore 6 x 6 pad)
Stamps: WORDart by Karen (Psalm 93:4), Morningstar Stamps (H63 Praying You Will Find wood block stamp)
Ink: VersaFine (Onyx Black)
Tools/Embellishments: Gina Marie Designs dies (Stitched Sky Die Set, Little Birds Die Set ), Nuvo Jewel Drops (clear), Wink of Stella Brush glitter pen (clear), Glossy Accents, Big Lots Craft Ribbon, The Paper Studio sequins, Walmart Button, Studio G baker's twine

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes
Alphabet Challenge Blog - Y is Your Choice
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge - Must Use Patterned Paper

Thanks for visiting with me today. I hope you'll have time to visit the Word Art Wednesday blog, pick up your free digi and see the projects the rest of the Design Team have made.

Ye Shall Not Fear Them

Happy New Year!! Welcome to the first challenge at Word Art Wednesday. This week we're focusing on Deuteronomy 3:22, "Ye shall not fear them: for the Lord your God he shall fight for you." Wow! I think this is such a great verse of comfort. If the Lord is doing the fighting for us, why should we fear anything? This verse goes great with Romans 8:31, "What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?" As we look around our world and wonder what the new year may hold for us, our families and our country, we may be tempted to fear. But let's remember that the Lord is fighting for us and we have no need to fear.

For my card this week, I chose to use several products from Our Daily Bread Designs.They just released two types of Center Step card and coordinating layer dies (A2 and 5.5" square). I don't have those dies, but I do have some of their pre-cut/pre-scored Center Step card bases. I thought the center step design would show case this verse perfectly. I used a Double Stitched Rectangle die to die cut the verse. I used the Mini Vintage Label die to cut out a piece of yellow patterned paper and then cut the die cut in half. Each half was used to accent the verse panel and to hold the ribbon in place. A Fiskars butterfly punch was used to punch a butterfly from solid patterned paper and from vellum. These were attached to the ribbon on the right side of the panel. The vellum layer was coated with clear Wink of Stella for some shimmer. Some rhinestones on the butterfly and on some flower centers finish off the card.

Supplies:
Card base: Our Daily Bread Designs Center Step 
Patterned Paper: Our Daily Bread Designs (Whimsical Wildflowers, Plum Pizazz), Taylored Expressions (Vellum)
Stamp: WORDart by Karen
Tools/Embellishments: Our Daily Bread Designs dies (Double Stitched Rectangles, Mini Vintage Label (retired)), Fiskars punch (Butterfly), Zig Wink of Stella (clear), Offray ribbon, The Paper Studio bling

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes
Crop Stop January Challenge #36 - Use companies carries by the Crop Stop Store (Fiskars, Cuttlebug, Zig, Scotch)
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge - Must use patterned paper
Repeat Impressions DCC13 - Things with Wings
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Something New (I took the butterfly punch out of the package just to use on this card)

Thanks for stopping by today. I've missed visiting with you and hope you'll come back soon. Please be sure to visit the Word Art Wednesday blog for your free digi and to see lots more inspiration from our Design Team.

Top 10 Viewed Blog Posts of 2017

Hello All! I know it's been a while since I posted. Some health issues have kept me out of my craft room. I'm finally feeling much better so hopefully I'll get back to crafting soon.

I have been enjoying all the "Best Nine" collages on Instagram. Click here to see mine. Then today I read Kristie Marcotte's post today of the top 10 viewed blog posts from her blog The Best Things in Life are Pink. That inspired me to take a look at my own blog stats and see what my top 10 viewed blog posts of 2017 were. Here they are (click the link on each card title to see the original post):

#10 - Coffee Over Everything

#9 - Brentwood Birthday

#8 - Your Kindness Warms My Heart

#7 - A Trio of Thanks

#6 - Autumn Trevor

#5 - How You Bean?

#4 - Land That I Love

#3 - O Give Thanks

#2 - Seasoned with Salt

#1 - Tickled Pink Birthday

Thanks for reading through my list. I'll be back soon with my favorite cards of 2017.

Coffee Over Everything

I have one last card to share with you tonight for the Coffee Lovers Bloghop. This one is a center step card featuring another digi from Scribbles. The large coffee is the one from Scribbles and the two smaller ones and the sentiments are from a clear stamp set by Stampabilities. The sentiments were heat embossed. For details on how I make my center step cards, please see the directions in this post. The leaves in the background paper and the hearts on the smaller coffee cups sparkle thanks to some stickles. The heat embossing also adds some shine. The edges of the card base and the patterned papers was inked with distress ink.

The interior is decorated slightly. I don't think it shows in the pic but there is another small coffee cup added to the greeting panel on the interior. All the images were fussy cut and a black marker was used on the edges to cover the raw white edge.

Supplies:
Cardstock: Georgia Pacific (images), Recollections (kraft card base and cream for greeting panel on the interior), Taylored Expressions (Vellum)
Patterned Paper: The Paper Studio
Stamps: Scribbles (Coffee digi), Stampabilities clear set (Coffee)
Ink: Versafine (Onyx Black), Distress Ink (Vintage Photo)
Copics: YR20 21, 24; C1, 3; E40, 43; Y21, 32; N1; W1, 3, 5
Other: Stickles (Star Dust), Simon Says Stamp fine detail embossing powder (clear), Memento marker (Tuxedo Black)

I'm linking this card up in the 2017 Fall Coffee Lover Bloghop. Thanks for visiting with me and I hope you'll come back tomorrow for another Guest Designer project for Our Daily Bread Designs.

Play Ball

{If you are looking for my Word Art Wednesday post, please scroll down or click here.}

I have another card to share with you today featuring another set just released by Our Daily Bread Designs. This week I'm sharing a card using the Baseball Stamp/Die Duo. I really like the sentiments they used in these sports themed sets. As you know, I love fancy fold cards and since I haven't made a center step card in awhile, I dusted off my directions and made one. I started off with a piece of navy cardstock that measured 4.25" x 11". With the short side at the top of my paper trimmer, I lined the cardstock up on the 1" mark that is on the right side of the trimmer blade, moved the blade to the 1" mark and cut down to 6.5". I slid the paper over to line it up with the 1" mark to the left of the blade and repeated the cut from 1" to 6.5". Using my Scor-Buddy, with the long side of the paper at the top and the cut 1" from the left edge to the left, score completely across the card at 1". Score just from the card edge to the cut marks at 2" and 6.5" on both sides of the card. At 5.5" score between the cut lines only. Mountain and Valley fold on the score lines as shown in the picture below. OR you could use one of ODBD's Center Step Card bases and make your life much easier!

I stamped the sentiment and then die cut and matted it with the Double Stitched Circle Dies. I left the cardstock in the dies and embossed both of these circles and love the subtle detail it gives them. Baseball is such a great American past time and the papers from the Americana Quilt collection go so well with that theme. The baseballs were stamped and then die cut with the coordinating die. They were highlighted with some Copic coloring and then the seams were added with a Zig journaling pen. This same red pen was used to color in the open letters in the main sentiment and in the "Play Ball!" sentiment. A trio of star sequins highlight the sentiment.

I carried the baseball theme to the inside by stamping a baseball on the message panel. This baseball was also highlighted with Copics and the red pen.

Our Daily Bread Designs Products

Baseball Stamp/Die Duos

Double Stitched Circles Dies

Americana Quilt Paper Collection

Other supplies used:
Cardstock - Recollections (Red), Simon Says Stamp (Soft Navy), Georgia Pacific (white)
Inks - Versafine Ink (Onyx Black), Memento (Tuxedo Black) 
Tools/Embellishments - V's Sweet Ideas (Hologram Stars 5mm), Copic Markers (C0, 1), Zig Ball Pen (5mm Red)

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Scor-Pal More Than One Fold Challenge #40 - Card must be 3D and have more than one fold
Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge - Must Use Patterned Paper
Tuesday Throwdown Challenge #356 - Anything Goes
Cardz 4 Guyz Challenge #176 - Fancy Folds
City Crafter Challenge Blog #375 - No Flowers
Always Fun Challenges #19 - Going in Circles
Through the Craft Room Door - Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Add a Sentiment

Thanks for stopping by to visit with me today. I do hope you'll stop by and check out the August Release at Our Daily Bread Designs. All the sports lovers in your life will thank you. :)

Winter Woods

This is my second post for today.  If you are looking for my Word Art Wednesday post, please scroll down a post or click here.I have several cards to share with you today using Winter Woods.  Masculine Christmas, birthday and/or Praying for You cards are a snap with this set.  In each of my cards, I used the scenes from the set.

First up is this masculine birthday card using this week's Outlawz  Sketch Challenge.  Deedee's Digis is sponsoring the sketch challenges this month.  Why not play along for your chance to win some free digis?

I colored the deer with Prismacolor pencils and gamsol.  The background was colored with Copic markers.  Some Sparkly Fluff was used on the snowy ground and on the trees.  Die cut snowflakes topped by buttons, twine and stickles complete the wintery scene.

Supplies:
Cardstock:  Bazzill (navy), Creativity Inc. (brown), Georgia Pacific (white)
Patterned Paper:  Bo Bunny (Snowfall 6x6 pad)
Digi Stamp Set:  Deedee's Digis (Winter Woods)
Tools/Embellishments:  Copics, Prismacolor pencils, gamsol, baker's twine (The Twinery), buttons (Making Memories - 5th Ave.),  stickles (Diamond), Cuttlebug embossing folder (Snowflake), Spellbinders dies (Create-A-Flake Four), Sakura Gelly Roll pen - white, Our Craft Lounge Sparkly Fluff (sugar)

I'm entering this card in the Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Release Day Challenge - Create a Wintery Birthday Card.

Next is a Christmas card using the same image but in a Center Step fold card.  A tutorial on making a Center Step card can be found on SCS here.  This time the entire scene was colored with copics and again accented with Sparkly Fluff.  Die cut snowflakes and a brad finish off the tag and some tiny bling accents some of the snowflakes.

This is a side view of the card. As you can see there's plenty of room to write a note.

These are the Copics I used.

Supplies:
Cardstock:  Bazzill (navy), Recollection (kraft), Georgia Pacific (white), WorldWin (vellum)
Patterned Paper:  Bo Bunny (Snowfall 6x6 pad)
Digi Stamp Set:  Deedee's Digis (Winter Woods)
Tools/Embellishments:  Copics, Spellbinders dies (Create-A-Flake Four), Our Craft Lounge Sparkly Fluff (sugar), brad (American Crafts - Denim), rhinestones (The Paper Studio), My Favorite Things Die-namics (Pining Edge)

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Fan-Tastic Tuesday Challenge #62 - Anything Goes with a Twist - Masculine
V's Sweet Ideas Challenge #28 - Anything Goes

Now for a moose card.  The moose scene was colored with Copics and accented with Sparkly Fluff.  I kept this one pretty simple.  The sentiment was printed on vellum.  The vellum strip is wrapped to the back and attached.  The pinking edges also help adhere it to the card front.  The image was popped up over the background.

These are the markers I used.  The un-marked marker is BG000.


Supplies:
Cardstock:  Bazzill (navy), Recollection (kraft), Georgia Pacific (white), WorldWin (vellum)
Patterned Paper:  Bo Bunny (Snowfall 6x6 pad)
Digi Stamp Set:  Deedee's Digis (Winter Woods)
Tools/Embellishments:  Copics, Our Craft Lounge Sparkly Fluff (sugar), My Favorite Things Die-namics (Pining Edge)

 For this last card, I used the pre-colored Moose scene.  Another very simple design with a couple die cuts and some faux stitching.

Supplies:
Cardstock:  Georgia Pacific (white), DCWV (blue), Recollections (kraft)
Patterned Paper:  Pebbles (Family Ties 6x6 pad), My Mind's Eye (Dolled Up 6x6 pad)
Digi Stamp Set:  Deedee's Digis (Winter Woods)
Tools/Embellishments:  Spellbinders Dies (Squares Large and Small, Classic Rectangles Large), Staedtler fine tip marker (brown) 

Whew!  I think I got carried away with this set.  We have several family members that love the outdoors so using this set was a no-brainer for me.  :)  If you've hung in there this long, thanks for sticking with me.  Have a good day!!

When a Man's Ways Please the Lord - Proverbs 16:7

It's time for another challenge at Word Art Wednesday.  As usual, there's a free digi WordArt Scripture verse available on the Word Art Wednesday blog and the challenge is always anything goes (as long as it is family-friendly and has a positive/encouraging sentiment).  You do NOT have to use the free digi to play along in the challenge.

This week's Scripture digi is Proverbs 16:7, "When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him."  This verse assures us that when we live a life pleasing to the Lord, He can work in hearts so that we can even get along with our enemies.  That certainly is an encouragement when you are dealing with those some folks call "sandpaper people."  You know, those people that the Lord uses to rub off the rough edges in your life and make you more like Him.  There's nothing like someone a little difficult to get along with to make you realize how much of "self" is still in your life.

I recently won a gift certificate to Lili of the Valley Stamps.  I had long admired their stamps on the blogs of other crafters so I was quite excited to be able to choose a couple for myself.  The day they arrived in my mailbox, I just had to ink up and color the cutie below.  I thought it went great with our theme verse since the puppy and kitty are getting along.  :)

They were fun for even this novice Copic girl to color.  After coloring the image with copics, I hightlighted the animals' noses with a white pen.  I used N0, N1, and a colorless blender to add the highlights on the "table" in front of the girl and her pets.  I decided to showcase this cutie on a center-step card.  You can find an easy-to-follow tutorial on SplitCoast Stampers here.

I really like all the dimension that the center-step card gives and the fact that when open it's a 3D display. 

I also like that it gives plenty of space to keep the Scripture (the most important part of the card) in a prominent place.  I thought the side panels were looking a little plain so I added some punched hearts on thin pop dots.  The sentiment panel is popped up on thin pop dots and the image panel on thicker ones.

I did a bit of interior decorating this time.  I punched a row of hearts along bottom of the panel intended for the message to the recipient.  I then backed it with teal paper and outlined the hearts and the message panel with faux stitching.

Supplies:
Cardstock - Copic (image), Georgia Pacific (card base, sentiment)
Patterned Paper - My Mind's Eye Miss Caroline (Dilly Dally 6 x 6 pad)
Stamps - Karen Murray for Word Art Wednesday (Scripture digi), Lili of the Valley (Milly Cuddle Time)
Ink - Memento (Tuxedo Black, Toffee Crunch)
Copics - Skin (E000, 00, 01, R20), Hair (Y000, E31, E33), Dog (E31, 33, 35,37, N7), Cat (N1, 3, 5, 7, E11), Shirt (BG000, 05, 09, YR21, Y21), Highlights (N0, N1)
Embellishments/Tools - Spellbinders (Circles Large, Lacey Circle), EK Success heart punch, button (Basic Grey), baker's twine (The Twinery), Signo Uni-Ball white pen, CM Fine Tip black pen, Fiskars border punch (Apron Lace)

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Simon Says Stamp & Show - Use a button
Digi Darla #66 (DDC66) - Fancy Fold or Not a Square
Aud Sentiments - Anything Goes
Flourishes Timeless Tuesday (FTTC224) - card that moves or opens in a non-traditional manner


Thanks for stopping by today.  I hope you'll stop by the Word Art Wednesday blog and see how the rest of the Design Team have showcased this verse of Scripture and don't forget to pick up your free digi while you are there.