Saturday, May 28, 2022

God Bless America


 The most recent Papertrey Ink release was filled with wonderful items!  The die set featured on my card is called Patriotic and includes not only the adorable truck and waving flag shown here but some beautifully etched stars and bunting as well.  Just about everything needed for the Fourth except for homemade ice cream :).  I used some shiny red card stock from my stash to cut the truck and also included some Bitty Big Dark Indigo paper.  It was a fun project to create!

Blessings,

Christine

Linking to: Papertrey Ink Blog

SSS Wednesday Challenge (A/G)


GKD Friendly Silhouettes


Playing around with Gina K's Friendly Silhouettes and some pastel Distress Oxide Inks.

Linking to SSS Wednesday Challenge:  A/G
 

Wednesday, May 25, 2022

So much cake....so little time


 

Playing along with the MFT Sketch Challenge using a stamp set that landed in my mailbox earlier this week:  Beary Best Birthday.  It is watercolored using ink pads and a water brush and topped off with a fun junk bow.

Thanks for stopping by,
Christine

Linking to:

2 Timothy 2:4 for Word Art Wednesday


 I love pastel colors, floral stamps, and delicate die cuts.  This translates to not much experience making masculine cards.  My secret for making a masculine card is to let the sentiment be the star and to use Tim Holtz collage papers.  They are two-sided with various coordinating sheets in each collection.  They do the heavy lifting and guys are always pleased with them.  My husband encourages fellow believers to be good soldiers....that includes me---and usually when I don't really want to hear that directive.  Thought I would give him this card to share when he feels led to do so.

I hope you will stop by Word Art Wednesday for your own copy of the scripture, a blessing from the related devotion, and to share you art.

Blessings,

Christine

Tuesday, May 24, 2022

Birthday Bears


 I have admired this Birdie Brown Set from MFT for the longest.  It came out of the vault a while back, and I really deliberated over getting it and didn't order it because I feel really unsure about my coloring skills.  This one was watercolored with distress inks and a waterbrush.  The lend on the right looks a little rough, but I will keep practicing.


Linking to SSS Wednesday Challenge (Layer it Up)

Thursday, May 19, 2022

Christmas Lantern


 After donating a collection of cards  to our church's youth auction that contained a year's worth of greetings for a husband to give his wife, several friends have requested them.  This Christmas card is a variation of some I sent last year, adding a newly acquired rose die.  It is also the completer piece in the latest set of cards.  They will be delivered soon, and I hope they bring lots of joy!

Linking to SSS Wednesday Challenge:  Layer it Up!


Thank You Florals on Kraft



 The Great Cover Up is a wonderful feature on the Papertrey Ink Blog.  I love the tips included in this feature, and the projects are always inspiring!  This time, the challenge is to create a gift card holder using PTI products.  Now, there are several adorable gift card die sets available from PTI, but, sadly, none of them are in my stash.  I just ordered the adorable Thank You Florals set and was ready to use it.  The small brown bag was splattered with aqua and white acrylic paints and topped with the delicate doily and a spray from the floral set.  Inside is the gift card holder.  I simply cut the Bracket Die.  The full die cut was attached to a half panel using sticky strip, and the florals were adhered hanging over the edge.  There is plenty of space for a gift card.

Linking to The Great Cover Up Challenge and SSS Wednesday Challenge (Layer it Up)


Tuesday, May 17, 2022

Blessings Today and Always


 The current "What do I do with this?" Challenges features a couple of beautiful cards that showcase different ways to use patterned stamps.  I just love the roses with polka-dotted accents and the bright sun with floral patterns.  My take on the challenge was to stamp a panel with  Bloomin' Cute florals and leaves and to stamp over them with the sweet plaid pattern.  A Love to Layer circle die was a place to add some die cuts from the Bloomin' Cute set and a retired Verve sentiment that I always love to use.

Thanks for visiting,

Christine

Thursday, May 12, 2022

Enjoy a Treat


 I am not much of a one-layer stamper.  My go-to look is clean and layered, but I love the warm look that came from stamping the Wreath Favor Box images on a flat kraft bag.  The bag is small and has a waxy interior making it perfect for holding a homemade treat such as a cookie or truffle.  

When making a project like this, I like to scan and print a color copy to use in my MISTI to help with alignment for mass production.  That way, multiples are produced accurately and quickly leaving more time for the goodies that will go with the sweet little bag.

Linking to:

Papertrey Ink Blog (bag or container)

SSS Wednesday Challenge (NOT a card)

Wednesday, May 11, 2022

All Things are Possible with God for WAW


 This scripture can be a beacon of hope, a strong assurance, and a praise to God....it all depends where one in on her journey with God through a particular experience.  I'd like to share a current experience and testimony of God's goodness.  In mid-March, my husband was diagnosed with cancer....literally after a scope procedure in the doctor's office, the physician said with frightening emphasis, "It IS cancer."  We have been given much prayer support and encouragement, literally from friends, family members, various churches, and Christian organizations near and far.

Since the diagnosis, the tumor has been removed, a second surgery was performed to check for regrowth and a biopsy was done to assess prior to further treatment. We have received good news that the cancer is gone.  Immunotherapy treatments are scheduled to prevent regrowth, and the timeline from diagnosis has been just under eight weeks.  We offer God most sincere and praise and thanks.

A second and different cancer was discovered on scans and it will be addressed in a few months.  I know that God's word for me is to be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer.  It has been His directive through the first diagnosis and series of treatments, and I am to continue for those to come.  I praise Him because He is good.  God's goodness is unchangeable regardless of the trials we face or of how we feel about their outcomes.  I am thankful that God saw fit to bring healing to my husband thus far, but I am also thankful for every assurance of His love and power.  

Blessings,

Christine



Saturday, May 7, 2022

Alleluia: He is Risen


 I am working on a set of cards for one of my husband's friends.  The idea is to have a supply of cards to give his wife for all the occasions in one year.  So far, the set contains:  birthday, anniversary, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, and with this one Easter.  The tiny lily dies are from MFT, the scrolled frame from PTI, and the beautiful sentiments are from a PTI Easter set.  

Linking to:

SSS Wednesday:  Feminine

Hooray....It's your Birthday


 This week's Fab Friday Feature includes a challenge that is a real treat:  to CASE Melissa's card.  I used her layout, just changing the floral set that was featured.  I love her idea of stamping some of the florals on a white panel and then piercing it with the Tin Stitched die.  The florals are Effortless Beauties, and I thing the name of the die I used to cut the yellow panel is Fun Frames.  I love all of its delicate details.  

Thanks for visiting, 

Christine

Linking to:  Fab Friday Feature on the PTI Blog

SSS Wednesday Challenge

Friday, May 6, 2022

Berry Best Mom




 It was tremendous fun to open Papertrey Ink's Berries and Branches stencil set and to see the magic happen.  It's such fun to lift the stencils and to see the inked designs, and this set layers so very beautifully!

Here is the card that I CASED.  (Melody's card set also persuaded me to order the stencil set!)  I did add my own twist by using a sentiment and image from the Berry Best Mom mini set.  

Thanks for visiting, 

Christine

Linking to:  SSS Wednesday Challenge (Feminine)


Say Happy Anniversary with Roses


 Wanda shared a stunning card featuring vibrant yellow tulips over a paper-pieced black and white background.  I tried that, and one disaster after another befell the card, and into the trash it went!

I started over with a simpler plan.....cut the cover plate in black, mount it on a white base, and add some extremely pink roses for a pop of color.  All the dies used on my card are from Papertrey, and the sentiment is from a beautifully lettered Spellbinders set.

Thanks for taking a look,

Christine

Linking to:

Papertrey Ink  Great Cover Up 

SSS Wednesday Challenge (Feminine)

Monday, May 2, 2022

Lots of Love


 

Papertrey Ink has a fun new challenge:  to create a card using one's favorite PTI stencil.  Berries and Branches is from a recent release, and I certainly love it!  It's fun to stencil each layer, lift the stencil, and swoon over the progress.  This panel is stenciled using Green Parakeet, Hawaiian Shores, and my favorite, Aqua Mist.  It's a shameless CASE of Melody's set of cards with a touch of my own.  I added the stamped/die cut sentiment from Wonderful Words of Love. This set is a treasure shared by a sweet crafting friend.  

Thanks for visiting.  May your week be filled with love,

Christine

Linking to:

Papertrey Ink 'What Do I Do With This?'  Challenge