Floral Gatefold Card

Hello! I sure hope your January was healthier than mine! I've been sick or recovering for the past 4-5 weeks. I'm still working on regaining energy but sure feel better than I did a couple weeks ago. Anyway, enough of that...it's time for a new challenge at Word Art Wednesday. This week we're focusing on 1 Corinthians 2:9, "But as it is written, eye hath not seen nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." This verse should be such a great encouragement to us. The Lord has such wonderful things planned for those who love him that we can't even imagine them. This helps me trust Him when times are tough. I remember His love for me and how what He has planned is so much better than anything I could envision or plan for myself. He knows what is best for me so I can trust Him.

As I mentioned earlier, I have been under the weather for a while so I have not been able to spend much time in my craft room -- how I've missed crafting!! I thought I'd get back into card-making with one of my favorite but easy fancy folds, the gate fold card. If you are new to fancy fold cards, this one is a good introduction. I started with a piece of heavy weight white cardstock cut 5.5" by 8.5". Along the 8.5" side I scored it 2-1/8" from each end. I chose a pretty floral paper and a new-to-me die to use as a backer for the matted sentiment panel. I used some of my new favorite rose gold foil specialty paper to mat the patterned paper panels and for the sentiment panel backer. I finished off the card with some cream colored pearls. I didn't show it in the picture, but I used a 5/8" strip of the rose gold paper topped with a 1/2" strip of patterned paper to decorate the interior.

Supplies: 
Cardstock: Recollections (#110 white for card base, Rose Gold Foil), Georgia Pacific (white for sentiment panel) scrap of red (I think Bazzill?) for matting sentiment.
Patterned Paper: Echo Park (Jack and Jill 6 x 6 pad)
Stamps: WORDart by Karen
Tools/Embellishments: Spellbinders Dies (Floral Swirls Tags), Want2ScrapBaby Bling Pearls (LaCreme)

I'm entering this card in the Crafty Hazel Nut's Patterned Paper Challenge (must use patterned paper).

Thanks for stopping by to visit. I hope you'll come back again soon.

Walk Worthy

Happy Wednesday! It's time for another challenge at Word Art Wednesday. This week our focus verses are Colossians 1:10, 11, "That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness." There is a lot we could say about these verses, but let's just concentrate on the first phrase, "that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing." In order to please the Lord, we have to be walking in His will. If we want Him to direct our steps, we have to be moving along the path that He's already shown us. One commentator put it this way, "True knowledge of God's will is inseparable from walking conformably to it." (Jamieson, Fausset, Brown).  We should have a desire to please the Lord. No matter what situation comes our way, our desire, first and foremost, should be to please the Lord. We have no control over what others say or do, but we do have control over our response to their words and actions. Let's stay close to the Lord and allow Him to help us please Him.

Our sponsor this week is Lawn Fawn. They have some of the cutest critter stamps and also have dies, papers, inks and more. For my card today, I chose to use two of their stamp sets that I have in my collection. For the card design I was inspired by Jennifer McGuire's video on Interlocking Gatefold Cards. For the folding panels of my card I stamped the Woodgrain Backdrop stamp several times across the front with Walnut Stain distress ink and then embossed it with clear embossing powder.

 I used square dies to make the frame and sentiment panel. After gluing the frame to the left side of the card and the matted sentiment panel to the right, it was time for embellishment. The critters were stamped with Memento ink and colored with Copics and then fussy cut. Some black Nuvo drops were added to their eyes. More Nuvo drops were added on opposite corners. This was a fun card design and I'll definitely be trying it again. This is my 2nd card this week with no patterned paper. That's very unusual for me!

Supplies:
Cardstock: Georgia Pacific (white), Park Lane (Neutrals), Recollections (kraft)
Stamps: WORDart by Karen, Lawn Fawn clear stamps (Yay, Kites!, Woodgrain Backdrops)
Ink: Memento (Tuxedo Black), Distress Ink (Walnut Stain)
Copics: E31, 33, 35, 37, 40, 41, 43; R20; W1, 3; BG11, 13; Y15, 19
Tools/Embellishments: Spellbinders Classic Squares dies (Large and Small), Nuvo Crystal Drops (Metallic Caramel Cream, Black)

I'm entering this card in the following challenge:
Cuttlebug Mania - Tic Tac Toe (I chose the left column: Sentiment, More than 2 layers, Embossing dry or wet)

I hope you will take the time to stop by the Word Art Wednesday blog to pick up your free digi and see the projects from the rest of the Design Team. Also, please be sure to visit our sponsor, Lawn Fawn. They have so many wonderful products. Thank you for visiting with me today. Please come back soon.

Captain America Father's Day Card

My husband is my biggest card making supporter. I really like to make him unique cards for holidays, special occasions and just because cards. Last week I saw the Jessica Lynn Original's Captain America Shield video tutorial. I also saw Jennifer McGuire's Triangle Gatefold Card tutorial. Since my husband really likes Captain America, I decided to combine them. I made the Captain America shield as the belly band element on the Triangle Gatefold Card. I made the star on the shield a die cut inlay.

I used a star embossing folder on the inner flap and then used an old Gina K Designs stamp set for the Father's Day sentiment and for the small stars stamped on the belly band and the interior.

I did minimal interior decorating. I just stamped a few more stars and left myself lots of room to write a message. My husband is a fantastic dad to our children and Papaw to our grands. I like to let him know I notice and greatly appreciate his dedication to our family. He really liked the card and has showed it to several people at church. I think this one was a hit.

Supplies:
Cardstock: Recollections (#110 white for card base), Darice (red), Bazzill (blue), Georgia Pacific (white)
Stamps: Gina K Designs cling stamp set (Masculine Tags - retired)
Ink: Ranger Archival (Cobalt)
Dies: Divinity Designs (Sparkling Stars and Double Stitched Circles), Stamp Simply (Fishtail Sentiment Banners)
Embossing Folder: We R Memory Keepers

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Cuttlebug Mania - Tic Tac Toe (I chose the far right column: sentiment, more than two layers, and embossing)
Outlawz Festive Friday Challenge - One of five themes including Father's Day

Thanks for visiting with me today. I hope you'll come back again soon.

My Favorite from 2017

Today, I'm back with some of my favorites of 2017. I missed posting my favorites from 2016, but when I posted my 2015 favorites, I kept the number to an even dozen. That's what I did this year too. I'm posting them in date order as they appeared on my blog. I hope you enjoy the look back. You can click the link on the card title to go back to the original post for full details.

Rejoice Evermore (fourth card in this post)

A Turtle and Her Books
 

Be Joyful

Barista Brentwood Owl

Declare the Works of the Lord

 

Tickled Pink Birthday

When You Feel Like Quitting

Land That I Love

Someone Remembers, Someone Cares

How You Bean?

Your Kindness Warms My Heart

Brentwood Birthday

Thanks for taking this trip down Memory Lane with me. Apparently, some of your favorites are mine too. :) I'll be back tomorrow with a card for the first challenge in 2018 for Word Art Wednesday. I hope you'll come back to visit soon.

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.

Brentwood Birthday

Today, I turned this Brentwood image into a birthday card for a coffee lover. He's another of my favorite Brentwoods to color and the footrest of his chair is the perfect spot to tuck a sentiment. I didn't have a JessicaLynn Originals (JLO) birthday sentiment to use so I had to go to an old standby birthday set. However, I did manage to tuck one of my new JLO coffee sentiments in the top corner. I had sized him a little big for a regular A2 sized card so I decided to go with a 5.5" square gatefold card this time.

For this card, I did a fair amount of interior decorating.

Supplies:
Cardstock: Cor'dinations (Black Iris), Georgia Pacific (white), Unknown dark orange (it feels like Bazzill)
Patterned Paper: Playing with Color 2 (Fall Patterned Cardstock)
Stamps: Jessica Lynn Original Digis (Summer 2017 Coffee Lovers Blog Hop Image, Summer 2017 Coffee Lovers Blog Hop Image 3), My Sentiments Exactly clear stamp set (Inspirational Birthday Innies and Outies), Stampendous clear stamp set (Birthday Wish)
Ink: Versamark, VersaFine (Onyx Black)
Copics: YR18, 20, 21, 24; Y15, 17, 32, 35, 38; W1, 3, 5, 7; YG95, 97, 99; E07, 08, 09, 33, 35, 37, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44; B29
Other: Our Daily Bread Designs dies (Double Stitched Rectangles, Double Stitched Pennant Flags), Simon Says Stamp fine detail embossing powder (White)

I'm entering this card in the Fall 2017 Coffee Lovers Blog Hop and at the My Creative Scoop Color Inspiration #26 (must have hand colored image).

Thanks for stopping by today. I'll be back a little later with one last card for the hop.

Gate-Fold Owl Card

I found the the Sizzix Owl Label Fold-a-Long Thinlets Die set on clearance at a local store but didn't buy it because my craft fund was depleted (I do *try* to be good). My husband insisted I tell him where it was in the store and went back to purchase it for me. I love his support of my obsession hobby. Of course, I figured it was only fair that he get the first card made with the die. I watched a couple YouTube videos to see how others had used it (specifically Jen Long and Christina Thomas) and combined some of their ideas to make this card. However, for the patterned paper owls, I lay the full-size owl on a single layer of patterned paper and then used the fold marks as lines for cutting the owls in half. This way I didn't have to get myself confused on which way the owl needed to be for the two sides.

I've had the sentiment stamp for awhile and had been waiting for the perfect card to use it for my husband. I used distress inks for shading the wings, head pieces, eyelashes and insert. The finished card fits in a normal A2 sized envelope.

Note: The card base die leaves a space in the back that is covered by the owl insert. When I make it again, I may back light colored inserts with a base colored owl to help disguise it this space.

Supplies:
Cardstock: Bazzill (brown), Recollections (cream)
Patterned Paper: Basic Gray (Oxford 6 x 6 - retired)
Stamp Set: Riley & Company
Ink: Taylored Expressions (Chocolate Truffle), Distressed Inks (Gathered Twigs, frayed Burlap)
Dies: Sizzix Owl Label Fold-a-Long Thinlets Die

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes
Outlawz Paper A la Mode Challenge - Use a favorite technique (distressing with inks)
CraftyHazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge - Use Patterned Paper
Mod Squad Challenge - Special Fold Card (mine is a gate-fold)

Thanks for stopping by for a visit. I hope you'll come back again soon.

Be Joyful

Happy Wednesday!! Thanks for coming to visit me on my blog today. It's time for another challenge at Word Art Wednesday and this time our sponsor is Simon Says Stamp. Be sure to check out the Word Art Wednesday blog for all the details on how you could win a $25 Gift Certificate to spend in the Simon Says Stamp store. This week our focus verse is Psalm 5:11, "But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee." Once we trust the Lord as our personal Savior, one of the blessings we receive is that the Lord will defend and protect us. In a world that sometime looks so scary and chaotic, this is invaluable. As a Christian, we are never alone and we always have the Lord protecting and caring for us. This should cause us to shout for joy! Literally and quietly in our hearts. The second part of the verse says that those that love the Lord should be joyful. We should not go around with a "Woe is Me!" expression or a sour "nothing pleases me" look on our face. No! We should remember all the riches we have in Christ and be joyful! Be sure to let that joy show on your face! When we go through tough times, the world is watching us. If we are "Negative Nellies" and "Debbie Downers," then why would they want what we have? However, if we can show the joy and peace of the Lord in the midst of our struggles, then they will notice the difference and may just ask how they too can have this joy and peace.

For my card this week I started with a base of Simon Says Stamp Soft Navy Cardstock. SSS cardstock is such a nice heavy-weight and perfect for card bases. I made a basic gate-fold card by scoring my 8.5 x 5.5 piece of cardstock on the long side 2.75" in from each end. I matted some of the beautiful papers in the Echo Park Just Be You 6x6 pad on white cardstock.  Spellbinders dies were used for the sentiment panel and mats. The flowers were die cut using Designer Flower dies from scraps of the patterned paper and the coordinating stamp Artful Flowers were stamped using my MISTI in VersaFine ink before being embossed with Fine Detail Clear embossing powder. Glue dots were used to attach them to the card front and then Stickles were used on the flower centers.

More patterned paper decorates the inside. One of the sentiments from the Artful Flowers stamp set was stamped as a greeting.

Simon Says Stamp supplies
100# Cardstock (Soft Navy)
Artful Flowers clear stamp set
Designer Flowers die set
Artful Flowers stamp set & Designer Flowers die set bundle 
Embossing Powder - Fine Detail Clear

Supplies available in the Simon Says Stamp store:
Echo Park (Just Be You 6 x 6 Pad)
VersaFine Ink (Onyx Black) 
Ranger Stickles (Star Dust)
Spellbinders Dies (Standard Large, Standard Small)
MISTI Original Size

Other Supplies:
Georgia Pacific cardstock (white)
Ranger Distress Stickles (Spun Sugar, Chipped Sapphire)
Ranger Stickles (Eucalyptus)
Spellbinders Dies (Petite Scalloped Circles Large)

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes
Dare 2B Artzy - Anything Goes
CraftyHazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge - must use patterned paper
Tuesday Throwdown Challenge #340 - Use embossing - heat or dry (I heat embossed the flowers)
Come and Get It Challenges - Circle Challenge
Outlawz Paper a la Mode Challenge - Sparkle and Shine

Thanks again for visiting with me today. Please be sure to visit the Word Art Wednesday blog and see what the rest of Design Team has made as well as pick up your free digi. I also hope you visit our wonderful sponsor, Simon Says Stamp. They truly are a "one stop shop."

Blessed Be the Lord God

Happy Wednesday!! A new challenged started today at Word Art Wednesday. This week's verse is Psalm 72:18, "Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel who only doeth wondrous things." The psalmist is making sure that his audience knows exactly which god he's talking about. The God of Israel had done many wondrous things for the nation of Israel and all the countries around them had heard about Him. The psalmist spends this entire psalm reminding his readers of all the wondrous things the Lord had done for them. This verse is near the end of the psalm where he's summing up his previous statements and goes on in the next verse to say, "...blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen." As I know I've said on multiple occasions, we serve the same Lord that the people living in Bible times worshiped. He has also done many, many wondrous things for us and He deserves to be praised and honored by the whole earth. We can, and should, bring praise and honor to Him just by the way we live our lives. I know I fall short many times but it is a goal we should all be striving to reach.

My card today was made using a stamp set that I won in a giveaway held by one of our sponsors. Gloria Shirr is a Close to My Heart representative and she's giving away a beautiful stamp set this week. Please link up your family-friendly Anything Goes projects at Word Art Wednesday for an opportunity to win. Gloria is also having a celebration on her blog with LOTS of prizes. Be sure to visit her at Purpleglo Creations for info on how to win.

I have not made a gate-fold card in awhile so I adapted a sketch by Sweet Sketch Wednesday 2 (sketch from last week to make it work for a 5.5" square gate-fold card.

I stamped the cherries from the set onto 1.5" squares turning the stamp a little each time. The cherries were colored with Copics, highlighted with a white gel pen, coated with a Wink of Stella glitter marker and then matted with kraft cardstock. I didn't want to cover up the stamped cherries too much so I used baker's twine instead of ribbon. A few scattered red and silver rhinestones and some faux stitching finish it off.

Supplies:
Cardstock: Georgia Pacific (white), Recollections (kraft)
Patterned Paper: unknown piece from scrap basket
Stamps: WORDart by Karen (Psalm 72:18), Close to My Heart clear set (Sweet Life)
Ink: Memento (Tuxedo Black)
Copics: R22, 24, 27; G03, 07, 09; E25, 29; B000
Tools/Embellishments: Studio G baker's twine, Wink of Stella glitter brush marker (clear), Want2Scrap baby bling (red, silver), Spellbinders dies (Classic Ovals Large and Small), Creative Memories 1.5" square punch, Uniball Signo white gel pen

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Make It Colorful
Cuttlebug Mania - Anything Goes
Clear It Out Challenge - Anything Goes
Going Grey with Scrap Creations - Anything Goes
Hiding in My Craft Room Challenge #214 - Freestyle

I am so thankful you stopped by for a visit today. Thanks for spending some time with me.

Smart Owl

Hello, I hope your week is going well.  I'm sorry my post is so late.  I've had some computer/internet problems and wasn't able to get my post It’s time for another challenge at Word ArtWednesday.This week’s focus verse is one of my all-time favorite Scriptures. Psalms 126:3, “The Lord hath done great things for us whereof we are glad.”My brother sent me this verse after our son was in a car accident and only had minor injuries.Since that time, I’ve found that it is applicable in so many situations…good and bad. A wreck isn’t generally considered good news, but when the only un-crushed space in the car is the exact rectangle where your son is, yes, you can say, “The Lord hath done great things for us whereof we are glad.” When someone shares good news, it’s a great way to rejoice in how the Lord has worked in their life.When someone has reached a milestone or major accomplishment, that’s also a good time to rejoice in the great things the Lord has done.  

Robyn’s Fetish is one of our fantastic sponsors this week and I was able to play with Smart Owl.I thought it was perfect for this verse. When someone reaches the point of graduating from a course of study, that is cause for great rejoicing!! 

Smart Owl was colored with Copic markers. His eyeglass lenses were coated with Glossy Accents for some shine. He takes center stage on this 5.5" square gate-fold card.  The left-over pieces from a corner bracket punch frame the four corners. 

On the back of the image panel, this week's focus verse has it's own showcase.  Some background stamping adds some interest to the solid kraft cardstock.  A bracket punch sets off the interior sentiment. 

 When sandwiching the image and sentiment panels for the gatefold, there was a gap because of all the layers.  A piece of fun foam helped keep things level.  I didn't want the white of the foam to show, so I used Copic marker E29 to color the edges.  

Supplies: 
Cardstock:  Paper Trey Ink (white for image), Georgia Pacific (all other white cardstock and card base), Bazzill (brown), Recollections (kraft) 
Patterned Paper:  Kaisercraft (Secret Bird Society Collection - Undercover) 
Stamps:  WORDart by Karen (Psalm 126:3), Robyn's Fetish digi (Smart Owl), Autumn Leaves clear stamps (Swirls), Inkadinkado wood mount (Congratulations) 
Ink:  VersaFine (Vintage Sepia, Onyx Black) 
Copics: (Y11, 13, 15, 17, 35, 38; E02, 04, 07, 08, 09, 11, 25, 29, 31, 33, 35, 37; N1, 3, 5, 7, 9; W1; B21, 23, 26; R24, BG000, 01; Colorless Blender) 
Tools/Embellishments: Staedtler fine tip marker (brown), Fiskars Decorative Corner Lever Punch (Bracket), Darice Fun Foam, Glossy Accents, Spellbinders dies (Class Squares Large) 

 I'm entering this card in the following challenges:  
Pile it On Challenge #64 - Die Cuts or Punches - I have both 
V's Sweet Ideas Challenge #33 - Anything Goes  
ABC  Challenge - G is for Go Digital (must use something digital - the owl image and Scripture are digis) 
Crafty Creations Challenges #286 - Anything Goes 
CropStop Linky Party 3 - Anything Goes (I used my Cuttlebug, and some Glossy Accents,  which are available in the Crop Stop store) 
Fan-Tastic Tuesday Challenge #80 - Use a die or punch (I used both)  
Inky Chicks Challenge #49 - Stitching (Real or Faux - I used faux)  
DigiChoosday Week 14 - Use a die (I used a square Spellbinders die)
Fab 'n Funky Challenge #254  - Bingo (diagonal bottom left to top right - punches, digi image, faux stitching)  
Outlawz Twisted Thursday Challenge - Use a punch 

I hope you'll stop by the Word Art Wednesday this week for more inspiration from the rest of the Design Team and to pick up your free digi.  Thanks for visiting today.

Wisdom from Above

It's time for the last challenge of the year at Word Art Wednesday.  As we head into a new year, and think about new beginnings, new goals, etc., it's good to remember how God defines wisdom.  As our focus verse, James 1:17, says, "But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy."  What a list!  I think most of us would like to be considered wise.  In order to do so, we need to develop these characteristics of wisdom in ourselves.  We are used to seeing pure, peaceable, gentle, full of mercy (merciful), etc.  But one of the items in this list that isn't as common is "easy to be intreated."  According to Dictionary.com "intreated" is the old spelling of our current word entreated.  The same source says the definition of entreated is to ask earnestly for something.  So "easy to be entreated" would mean that it's easy for people to ask us for things.  This means we're approachable, welcoming, and easy to get along with.  Yep, quite the list!  There are eight separate things on this list.  It would be overwhelming to try to work on all eight at one time.  Why not join me in a year long challenge to take each one and work on it for six weeks?  At the end of the first six weeks, add the next trait and so on.  By the end of 2015, we'll be a lot closer to having godly wisdom in our lives.  Please let me know in the comments or via email if you're going to join me.

I went with a masculine gate-fold card this week.  I did some shading on the WORDart banner with a W1 Copic marker.  Some twine, a button and gems complete the front.

For the interior decorating, I fussy cut the Morning Devotions (Gold) digi stamp and and added it to a kraft die cut. Some Glossy Accents were added to the coffee in the cup.  I stamped the sentiment above it.  The kraft image panel is mounted on an embossed die cut panel.

Supplies:
Cardstock:  Georgia Pacific (white), Recollections (kraft, blue)
Patterned Paper:  The Paper Studio
Stamps: WORDart by Karen (James 1:17), Sweet 'n Sassy (Comforting Pines clear stamp set), Clear Dollar Stamps - store now closed (Morning Devotions Gold digi set)
Ink:  Memento (Rich Cocoa)
Tools/Embellishments: Copic Marker (W1, Colorless Blender), twine (Jillibean Soup - Bean Stalks), rhinestones (The Paper Studio), button from stash, Spellbinders dies (Classic Rectangle Large, Deckled Rectangle Large and Small), Glossy Accents, Cuttlebug embossing folder (Basket Weave)

Thanks so much for stopping by today.  I hope 2014 ends well for you and that 2015 gets off to a great start.  Please be sure to stop by the Word Art Wednesday blog and see the rest of the Design Team projects and pick up your free digi.