Word Art Wednesday - Autumn Wishes

Hello Delightful Friends and Happy Autumn!!

Here in northern California, this is the best time of the year weather-wise.  It's cool in the morning and evening and beautiful during the day.  I love to be able to sit in the backyard and soak in the sun (vitamin D!!)  I definitely took advantage of my Saturday afternoon to do just that.  I haven't been able to do that for such a long time!

It's time for our Anything Goes - Family Friendly Challenge at Word Art Wednesday!   Our sponsor this challenge is Gina K Designs!!  I've use the Gina K Design Stamp & Stencil set called Autumn Wishes.  I love this set, it has trees, leaves, a flower, branches and some great sentiments (love the fonts but I've not used them on this card. Unfortunately it's no longer available 😞 There are other sets that are similar so be sure and check the store site. Great inspiration and LOTS of  instructional videos! Their holiday release is now available.

Here's my card for the challenge:

Other ingredients:

Stitched Hillside die (Lawn Fawn)

Inks: Taylored Expressions: Spearmint, Sweet Basis, Pumpkin, Candy Corn, Cinnamon, Mulled Wine, Raspberry Sorbet, Toffee.

Card Stock: Sugar Cube and Cinnamon (TE) and green (from stash)

Scripture Art : 2 Chronicles 15:7 

Hope you'll visit us at Word Art Wednesday and join us with a new crafty creation.  You can upload 5 new projects per week to qualify for the prize. (check out the challenge site for all the particulars!)  The challenge runs for 2 weeks.

Thanks so much for visiting!  Happy Fall Y'all.  🍂

Natalie 🍁

Word Art Wednesday Challenge with Gina K Designs

Hello Delightful Friends,

It's my favorite time of the year, end of summer into early fall.  So I decided for my card this challenge to make my first fall themed card. I love making Autumn cards.

I've used our sponsor Gina K Designs... stamp and stencil set called Autumn Wishes, unfortunately it's now retired. 

 Hope you'll join us at Word Art Wednesday for the challenge of Anything Goes - Family Friendly.

Thanks to Gina K for being our sponsor, be sure to go to the website and check out the blog and store, I promise you will be inspired!

Here's my card:

I've used an assortment of inks to make this background (all Taylored Expressions)

Candy Corn, Mango, lemon meringue, Sweet Basil, Cilantro and Granny Smith.

I've used Toffee card stock and the yellow card stock I believe is Banana Cream.

The background piece I've popped up using dimensional strips, the Scripture Art piece background is die cut by the Stitched Rectangle set by Lawn Fawn.

Scripture Art from Psalm 33:21 - you can upload the Scripture Art and use if you'd like!

Thanks so much for visiting!  Have a wonderful week.

Blessings,

Natalie  💖

Word Art Wednesday - Gina K Designs

Hello Delightful Friends!

Thanks for visiting!  Hope you are ready to tackle September! Even though I hate to have August end,  I love September and all the fall colors that I can incorporate into my cards and decorating.  

We are truly blessed to have Gina K Designs for our sponsor this week!! Yay!!!  You might want to check out the SHOP and make a wish list!! Don't forget to play along and then have a chance at winning the prize ($25).  Enter 5 times each week with a new project, don't forget the challenge at Word Art Wednesday lasts for two weeks!!  

Here is my card and I've featured the Autumn Wishes Stamp and Stencil by Gina K Designs

The other ingredients:

Paper : Echo Park "Fall" 6x6 paper pad

Card Stock: Honey, Sugar Cube (Taylored Expressions)

Jute (Celebrate it)

Stitched Rectangle Die (Lawn Fawn)

Inks (TE): Lime Zest, Toffee, Salt Water Taffy, Candy Corn, Pineapple

Stencil Brushes (TE)

Scripture Art: 3 John 1:4

Hope you have a lovely week!

Blessings,

Natalie 💕

Hello Sweet Friend - Word Art Wednesday

Hello Delightful Friends!

Here we are already in April and most of our communities are under the stay home - stay safe order.  Even though this is a difficult time it is also a great opportunity to be praying for our nation and president, our neighbors and family and drawing close to the Lord.  I hope revival and a spiritual renewal will come out of this time of testing. It's almost Resurrection Sunday and although this will be a strange way to celebrate it, I hope we will use it as an opportunity to be reaching out to our unsaved friends and families through social media, emails and telephoning.  Be bold and be brave, share about the wonderful work and good news of our Savior Jesus Christ! He is Risen!

Here is my card for the Word Art Wednesday Anything Goes (Family Friendly) Challenge!  Our sponsor this week is the wonderful Gina K Designs!! Be sure and check out the blog and store.  So much inspiration!  Thank you Gina K.!

I've used the Friendship Blooms stamp set that was a collaboration with Gina K & Hero Arts for their anniversary.  I love the large blossom and all the beautiful sentiments included in this large stamp set. I've water colored the image with Prima watercolors (Classic and Decadent Pies) and outlined with Zig clean color brushes.  The Word Art (digital) is from 1 Corinthians 6:14. "And God hath both raised up the Lord and will also raise up us by His own power." Love this wonderful promise from God our Father!

Thanks so much for visiting!  May your day be filled with all the blessings that come from trusting the Lord Jesus Christ.

Word Art Wednesday Challenge

Hello and happy first week of Autumn to you all!

Summer's gone and you wouldn't know it by the heat wave we are feeling here in Northern California, but that is the norm for us.  We call it Indian summer.  Cool in the morning and very warm in the afternoon and early evening.  Perfect weather if you ask me!!  

I have a card to share for Word Art Wednesday.  Our sponsor this week is Cas-ual Friday Stamps. Be sure and check out their blog HERE and be inspired!!

 This time, I've used the Scripture art inside the card rather than on the front.  So that's a little different for me.  This stamp set I've used is called Friendship Blooms which is a collaboration between Gina K Designs and Hero Arts (celebrating their 45th anniversary!)  I've stamped it on watercolor paper using Versamark and gold embossing powder.  I've colored with my Koi water color set (Pocket Field Sketch Box).  This set has some lovely sentiments and I love the fonts the artists have chosen for it!  So pretty!  I've trimmed out the paper using a Lawn Fawn stitched rectangle die.  The sentiment is also die cut using a Cottage Cutz cross stitched square die,

Here is a peek at the inside:  Die cut using the LF stitched rectangle with a pretty piece of card stock, not sure of the color.

The Scripture from 1 Corinthians, written by Paul begins this first chapter with thanksgiving for this church, which is pretty amazing considering all the correction that had to take place. This is a really good example or pattern for us in leadership in the church to always remember to be encouraging even in the midst of correction.  To be able to see the grace of God at work in this congregation is a real blessing to Paul and he thanks the Lord for their strong points as he corrects their carnality later on in this letter.  He will go on to give thanks to God who gives them the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ towards the end of the letter and reminds the Corinthians that they are beloved and reminds them to be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that their labor of love was not in vain in the Lord. (paraphrased by me 😆)  This is a good word for us as well.  I have a friend that will be getting this card and I pray it will be a blessed encouragement to her when she reads the inside verse.  I hope you are encouraged too!

Thanks for visiting!!

A Blessing to Others - Word Art Wednesday Challenge

Hello!
It's time for another challenge at Word Art Wednesday!  Did the last two weeks just fly by or what?!
We have a new sponsor for our challenge: Stamps of Life  ($25 gift card), thank you Stephanie Barnard!  I hope you will visit her store and blog and be inspired! There are so many adorable stamp and die sets in her store! She also has some great tips and videos to share there as well.

Here is my card for the challenge and the Scripture Art from Proverbs 11:25

I stamped the flowers on each side of the Scripture, the stamp set I've used is a very old set from Gina K Designs called One in a Million (it continues to be a favorite of mine!)  The butterflies are from Reverse Confetti : Hippity Hoppity stamp set.  I've done some simple coloring with Copic Markers and then added Kaiser Pearls and Doodlebug Matte Sprinkles (tropical assortment).

I've trimmed out my focal piece and matted it with black card stock, then mounted it on the purple card stock (Bazzill) and adhered to an A2 white card base.

The Scripture this week is a little difficult to understand in the old English but I think translating it into language that we would use, it makes perfect sense.

Simply put "A generous soul will be made rich, and he who waters will also be watered himself" (NKJV); the New Testament equivalent would be what Jesus said, It is more blessed to give than to receive."  We reap the benefits of giving, especially when we aren't looking to be repaid.  God has promised to bless the generous soul with riches in this world, the next or both.  When we give, God knows how to give back to us.  We can't water others without being watered ourselves.  We can never out give God.  I once heard it said that He has the bigger shovel!  So whether I give of my time, my finances, whatever I give, with the right motives I know that God will bless me.  

Luke 6:38 says "Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom.  For with the same measure that you use, it will be measure back to you."

2 Corinthians 9:7 says "So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver."

May you be a cheerful giver, led of the Lord!  Thanks for visiting today.

Patriotic Basket

Hello Delightful friends and family!

The weekend is just about over and it will be back to work in the morning.  Here is a card I made for our friends who hosted a 4th of July BBQ.

Ingredients: Stamps: Gina K Design (Holiday basket and Basket Additions #2); Taylored Expressions (Labels of Love and 4th of July Wreath set); Inks: Memento Nautical Blue, Rich Cocoa and Hero Arts Red Royal Mid-tone; Cuttlebug Embossing Folder (stars); Copic Markers; EK Success Punches (stars and heart); Spellbinder Nestability Die; Gingham red ribbon (stash); Designer Paper:Doodlebug Designs - Patriotic Parade 6x6 paper pad.  I fussy cut the basket contents to make them a bit more dimensional unfortunately the picture doesn't show that especially since the background paper is white card stock.

Thanks for visiting!  I'll be sharing this card at the following challenge blogs:

Word Art Wednesday #139 (Anything Goes)

Sister Act Card Challenge #64

Brown Sugar #101 (Anything Goes)

As for God, His way is perfect; the Word of the LORD is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him.  Psalm 18:30

Praying for USA...

It's a Boy! WAW #102

Hello Delightful Friends and Family,
I've been a little busy here lately (to say the least!). I've been helping a friend by making some handmade baby shower favors.  THIRTY of them!  So I've been neglecting my blogger friends, sorry about that, but with the little ones during the day and church activities in the evening and trying to fit in craftiness has been truly challenging my time.
Each of these favors are a little different and I've been "glued" to my craft table!  I only have a couple more to make and then next it will be another THIRTY party favors/gifts that I need/want to make the ladies for our church's Ladies Ministry Christmas Luncheon.  Still working on the design for that one and if you follow me on Pinterest you can see all the delightful  tags I've been pinning.
Here are a few of the baby showers favors I've made for the upcoming event and I'll be entering them in the Word Art Wednesday Challenge Blog (#102!!) Anything Goes.

 The main stamps that I used are the "It's A Boy"  sentiment stamp from Autumn Leaves (all occasion word art set) and on the inside a Scripture verse from Our Daily Bread Designs (Christmas Door set) and the Tim Holtz Mixed Media Set. The inks used are: Distress inks (Shaded Lilac, Peacock Feathers and Faded Jeans) Memento Ink, Rich Cocoa.

Close up of the Glimmer Mist sprayed on this.

This is the ink I used to dye the seam binding.  

Other stamps used were from Taylored Expressions and Gina K Designs.

More Ingredients:

Punches and border punches: EK Success. 

Mini white paper bags; Tags (Paper Accents)

Misc ribbon (American Crafts)

Buttons: stash

Glossy Accents

Making Memories paper flower

Darice Hemp cording

Distress Pens: Faded Jeans, Peeled Paint, Seedless Preserves

Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist, Liquid Pearls and Stickles.

Bow Easy, Mini Mister, Ink Blending tool (Ranger)

Well thanks for visiting!  Hope you have an awesome weekend.  Hope to catch up on my blog visits soon.  God bless!

For You formed my inward parts;
You covered me in my mother’s womb.

I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.  Psalm 139:13-14

Just a Little Hello

Hello Delightful Friends and Family,

I made a few cards for a friend and thought I'd share them with you all.  Here are two from the set, I kept the design simple and the inside I've added a layer of white card stock so that she can write a note. I'll be sharing these at the Sister Act  Card Challenge Blog. This is challenge #22.

#1

#2

Ingredients: 

 Card #1:  Stamp Set: Gina K Designs;  Designer Paper: Simple Stories;  Ink: Memento tuxedo black and Archival Venetian Orange; Colored with Copic Markers; Dies: MFT Die-Namics Mini Tabs Foursome set; 

Card #2 Stamps: Penny Black (Flower Festival and Friendship); Designer Paper: Simple Stories; Card Stock, Bazzill;  Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black and Archival Pistachio, Distress Ink ; Dies:  Spellbinder Nestabilities Scallop Circle and MFT Die-Namics, Fishtail Stax; Ribbon: Key Ingredient Kit, Taylored Expressions; Button, my stash. Colored with Copic Markers

Thanks so much for visiting!  Have a great weekend.

The spirit of a man is the lamp of the LORD, Searching all the inner depths of his heart. Proverbs 20:27

Tickled Pink baby card

Hello Delightful Friends and Family!

Summer is in full bloom at the Houston home here in northern California.  I pumped up the kiddie pool so it is official summertime!! It was a gorgeous morning today and before going to work I took my Bible out to the backyard with a cup of tea and enjoyed some time in the Word. I kept waiting for the little hummingbird that likes my lilac bush to visit but I didn't get to see it this morning.  Twice it's gotten about eight inches away from my arm, it was so cool!

Last night I made this card for a friend (Kacie Scott), who is having a baby shower in two weeks.  I'm also helping with the decorations for her shower.  I've made a banner and 45 favors for the event but that will have to wait for another post!  

If you enjoy Country Gospel check out Kacie's music, HERE  Not only is she a sweet girl with a precious testimony, she has a beautiful voice and has written songs for her latest CD.  

I've entered this card at 

 Word Art Wednesday challenge (Anything Goes #88)

Sister Act Card Challenge (Anything Goes #15)

(inside of the card)

Here are the ingredients to my card:

Stamps:  Unity (Tickled Pink); Gina K Designs (Basket Additions 2, sentiment); Taylored Expressions: Thankful (inside Scripture); 

Ink: Memento, Tuxedo Black; Distress Ink, Worn Lipstick and Vintage Photo.

Paper:  Basic Grey (Kneehighs); Bazzill and Neenah card stock.

Dies:  Spellbinders Nestabilities, scallop oval; Taylored Expressions: Scallop border (inside); MFT Die-Namics Mini Tabs foursome; 

Embellishments: Ranger Liquid Pearls (Petal Pink); Taylored Expression ribbon (Key Ingredient kit); Spica Pen (pink)

Cuttlebug Embossing Folder (Polka Dot)

Technique: paper piecing, diecutting

Let Your mercy, O LORD, be upon us, Just as we hope in You.  Psalm 33:22

Thanks for visiting!! Enjoy the rest of the weekend.

Neon Happy Birthday - CPS#276 and Scrappin' N Style #3

Happy Friday to all my Delightful friends and family!!

Hope you have an excellent weekend ahead of you.  I'm working on Saturday at the local scrapbook store (usually I only work there on Mon. and Tues.)  I was needed to fill in until the new girl gets trained, which I'm happy help out. It does make the weekend very short though!

Here is a card I made for Amy's Style challenge #3 at Scrappin' N Style.  Hope you'll check out her blog and challenges.  She is the Cricut go-to girl around here!  Her color challenge inspires using neon colors and then to make it sweet, so here we go!  This was definitely a challenge for me!  Here is the sketch from Card Positioning Systems  this week is #276

 

 The Stamp set I've used on the front of the card is from Taylored Expressions : Build a Treat.  I've used Memento Love Letters ink to stamp the sentiment and Archival Ink in Venetian Orange to stamp the cone and topping.  The background paper is Die Cuts With A View (it's an older 8x8 pad, I'm sorry I cannot remember the name but it had something to do with sweets!). The card stock is Bazzill (Bubble gum and Limeade).  I've used Neenah bright white to stamp my sentiment and add the ice cream cone diecuts to. (Build a treat matching dies from TE).  I've also used the Neenah card stock as a base for my panel that was created using the Dylusions Ink Sprays ( Bubblegum Pink and Fresh Lime) and it also is the ice cream! The ribbon is from my stash.  I drew the white lines with a white Sharpie Paint pen. Spellbinders Nestabilities Deckled rectangles is the die used to cut the focal panel.

 

Inside sentiment: Gina K Designs (One in a Million) and the ice cream cone is a Unity Stamp (Retro BBQ... sweet summertime). Copic markers to color and Memento Tuxedo Black to stamp and white Sharpie Paint pen to outline.

Thanks a lot for visiting today and hope you have an excellent weekend!

If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.  1 John 1:7

You Make Me Smile - PDCC#132

Hello Delightful Friends and Family!  Hope you are enjoying your Saturday.  We have a beautiful day here on the northcoast our son came over and helped do some major yardwork with his dad now that the rains have taken a hiatus for a while.  We have a big barbecue planned in our backyard in a couple of weeks for all the kids in our church that are graduating from the various schools in June.  The backyard really needed some TLC and today was a good start.  We will have to finish it up in the next couple of weekends.

In the meantime.... I thought I'd share a card that I've CASE'd from a StampTV video tutorial that Gina shared yesterday called One in a Million Card Sketch. I've changed it just a little bit with color, no pattern paper, I've embossed the yellow card stock and the size is different, too.   This is also to participate in the PLAY DATE CAFE COLOR CHALLENGE #132

Here's the challenge:

Black...White...and a splash of mustard Yellow - The 'splash' MUST be some shade of yellow all other colors will be deleted.

I was inspired by the photograph so my 'black' has a lot of white 'added' to it to make it more of a light black (aka gray)!  Okay, I'll probably have to make another one to qualify....

PDCC#132

I've added the last two pics to show what a difference just a little touch of color can make.  I've added the black Viva Pearl Pen to each of the flower centers shown on this last photo.  Just that simple little touch adds interest, dimension and texture to the card focal point.

Ingredients: Gina K Design Stamps (One in a Million);Memento Tuxedo Black ink;  Paper: Bazzill card stock, Neenah bright white card stock; Spellbinders Nestabilities Classic Scallop Circle and Standard Circle; American Crafts ribbon; Copic Markers: Y26, Y35, W5; Viva Pearl Pen; Polka Dots Embossing folder and Cuttlebug, ProvoCraft.

Thanks for visiting!! 

For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds. 2 Corinthians 10:4

A Little Moxie Spatter

Hello Delightful Friends and Family!

I'm sharing a tag using a less messy technique using water (the "etc." in the Moxie Fab description).  I'm sure most of the really cool samples of this technique will be with paint spatters, but to tell you the truth I just wasn't up to the creative mess tonight! 

Have you ever had one of those days where you just can't seem to keep things picked up or there is always some chore calling your name a little bit louder than usual??  This was my day.... thus the clean and simple spatter technique with water! Nevertheless, this is still a cool effect on the Distress Stains, I think so anyway!  I've used four different stains (Tumbled Glass, Stormy Skies, Peeled Paint and Shabby Shutters) for the background colors. After the tag (Paper Accents) was dry I "spattered" away, dried the tag again and then stamped the kite/tails (Taylored Expressions) and sentiment (Gina K Designs).  I then stamped again on designer paper from Simple Stories (Fabulous) the kites and one tail (for above the sentiment) fussy cut and applied.  The tails of the kites were glimmered up by Spica Pens.  I've stamped with Memento tuxedo black and the water came directly from my bathroom sink and applied by the quick flick of my fingers :-)

The camera picked up the glimmer of the Spica Pens and the dried water spatter, yay!!  The next time I use this technique I promise to use paint and a toothbrush!

Be sure and check out MOXIE FAB WORLD and all the delightful spatter technique samples and inspiration!

"O LORD, You have searched me and known me!  You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You discern my thoughts from afar.  You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways."  Psalm 139:1-3

Thanks for visiting, have a wonderful day!

Pray Hope Trust - Moxie Fab and CPS #265

Hello Delightful friends and family

It's a new week and new opportunities to pray, hope and trust the Lord.  One of my fav Scriptures is in Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your path."   I don't know about you but there are too many times I don't see the big picture and I need the Lord's wisdom and direction.  Thankfully, He is faithful to honor His Word and help us when we call on Him! The above verse doesn't say He might direct us but "He shall direct" are you listening for His direction?  Lord, help us to have hearing ears!

My card today is inspired by a few things.  First, a sketch challenge at Card Positioning Systems and I was also delighted to see an opportunity to use my Mini Motiff stamps from Taylored Expressions for the challenge at Moxie Fab World (using Damask or Brocade).

When I saw this sketch I knew the exact stamp I was going to use and it's  from Gina K Designs called Lacy Borders (it's brand spankin' new this month!)

Well, I didn't follow the sketch exactly but you know these cards can have a mind of their own ;-)  I was attempting to keep it CAS.

This pic shows off this Lacy Border stamp and it's details a bit better.  So cool!! When I first saw this stamp I knew that I would want to try to emboss it and so this is my first attempt at embossing this longer stamp and I'm very pleased how it turned out.

I'm also sharing this card over at Word Art Wednesday #27. I didn't use the verse that was shared (it's not required to) but I thought the sentiment fit with the challenge verse well.

No designer paper was used on this card only card stock.  The base is Bazzill and so is the Dusk Gray.  The white card stock is Neenah bright white and I used it to stamp the mini motiff and then cut a larger piece to mat it. The ink I've used is Memento tuxedo black and I've used VersaMark watermark stamp pad and clear embossing powder from Ranger to stamp the lace.  The sentiment is from Taylored Expressions - Faith in Bloom set and the ribbon is from a TE Key Ingredient kit. 

Thanks for visiting today!  Have a great week.

Moxie Fab World - Country Gingham Card

Hello Delightful friends and family!

I just love gingham and I was so excited to see the Gingham Challenge at Moxie Fab World.  Here is my card all countri-fied with some delightful teal blue gingham, a pretty bouquet of flowers and a very sweet sentiment.  Be sure and head over the Moxie Fab World and see all the delightful gingham inspiration!!

Ingredients:  Stamp Set: Gina K Designs (One in a Million); Ink: Memento tuxedo black; Bazzill Card Stock, ribbon, pattern paper (Simple Stories, Fabulous) all from Taylored Expressions Key Ingredient Kit (April); Rhinestones, Hero Hues from Hero Arts; Liquid Pearls, Ranger (assortment) and Copic Markers.

Thanks for looking and I hope you all have a wonderful day and for all the moms out there "Happy Mother's Day" this card is for you!

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.  James 4:8

Baby Basket - CPS #264

Welcome Delightful friends and family!!

I needed to make a baby card for a friend's first grandbaby, it's a girl!! After having 5 sons (yes, 5!) she finally got her a girl. Bless her heart!

Again, as usual I'm taking the picture at night with poor lighting, I really need to invest in a light box or get my hubby to make one for me.  Any suggestions out there?

I had fun using this sketch from Card Positioning Systems (#264).  I was also excited to get this new stamp set from Gina K Designs, a set illustrated by Melanie Muenchinger called Basket Additions 2. It has so many wonderful choices to fill the basket, such a great idea for a stamp set! So of course I needed to get the original stamp set with the basket (Holiday Basket) to complete this adorable image.  The designer paper is also from Gina K Designs and it's called Petals & Wings.  It was used to paper piece a couple of the baby objects in the basket and as a background mat to the green embossed (ProvoCraft EF) card stock.

 

Other ingredients I've used are: Bazzill card stock, Memento (rich cocoa and tuxedo black) Ink, the ribbon is from my stash and I've used an assortment of Copic Markers to color the image.  I've also used dimensionals to pop up the focal piece.  The finished card is A2 size.

Thanks for visiting and God bless!

Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from destruction, who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies.  Psalm 103: 2-4