Looking to Jesus - Word Art Wednesday

Hello!

Welcome back to this weeks Word Art Wednesday Challenge!  Hope you are checking all the inspiration over at the Challenge blog and more importantly playing along!  This challenge last 2 weeks and you can submit 5 new projects for a chance to win a prize from our sponsor Pink and Main!  Have you seen their cute March release?  Thanks Michelle for sponsoring us this challenge!

Here is my card for the challenge:

Spring is in full bloom here in northern California!  The flowering trees, my wisteria is budding (yay!!) the colors are beginning to burst out.  Last challenge I was heading to Mount Shasta to check out the wedding venue for my daughter's upcoming wedding and we got stuck in the snow!!  Had to call a tow truck to the rescue.  What an adventure!  The snow was knee deep at the venue, sure hope it melts by the end of May!!  The wedding is outdoors and it's going to be such a pretty setting (minus the snow!)  So seeing the flowers starting to peek out has been very encouraging.

Here are a couple of pictures from my trip to Mount Shasta,

Iron Horse Unlimited (wedding venue)

Stuck in the snow (fyi: I was not driving!)

Card info:

I water colored on 140# cold press Strathmore paper using Koi watercolors.  The clear stamp set is an American Crafts Florals (Kelly Creates line)which I've stamped with Archival Watering Can ink. I've mat the Scripture and the watercolor paper with a dark gray/charcoal card stock. 

The Scripture Art is free to use and you can grab it over at the Word Art Wednesday blog.

This week the verse is Hebrews 12:2 a perfect verse to get us ready for the Easter season.  It also is a reminder that Jesus, who is the author and finisher of our faith will help us to endure this race of life if we keep our eyes focused on Him.  Let's remember what He endured for us when He willing went to the cross and took our sins on Himself.  He willing endured the shame, remembering the joy that would come from the suffering.  What a blessed Savior we have!

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses (in chapter 11), let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 2:1-2

Thanks for visiting!

Word Art Wednesday Anything Goes Challenge

Hello Delightful Friends!

Here is my card for this weeks challenge at Word Art Wednesday!

I've used Prima Watercolors for the coloring of this card and the flower and vine stamps from the Dare 2B Artzy set called Words of Praise were stamped with Distress Antique Linen.  I started with a white card base, then matted the watercolor paper with a rose and gray card stock.  The Scripture was cut out with the Simon Says Stamp stitched circle die.  I doubled up the ribbon at the bottom of the card. 

Our sponsor this week for our challenge is Hefty Doodle! Be sure and check out their blog for some fun inspiration HERE.

Thanks for visiting! 

Heading to Mount Shasta with my daughter for the day to check out the venue for her wedding in May.  Busy times are ahead!

Word Art Wednesday and The Greeting Farm!

Hello!
Are you having a delightful Wednesday?  I sure hope so.  Winter is in full swing all over the nation.  Here on the west coast we have the rain, while on the east coast and middle of  the country we have major snow storms! Fortunately here where I live it's not too bad, but the storm is still approaching, so we will see.  Lord willing there won't be any flooding.
It's most definitely a good thing to stay in and craft away! Right?  That's my plan.
Word Art Wednesday has another Anything Goes - Family Friendly challenge today and here is my card:

Thanks to The Greeting Farm, our sponsor this challenge!! Yay!  So be sure and link up your projects.  You can enter 5x a week!  The challenge runs for two weeks.  Lots of cute rubber/clear stamps, dies and digital images are in their store.  Be sure and check out their blog too! I've use a retired stamp called Hope and Grace (girl and sun).  I watercolored the images and I'm not happy with my skin tone paint color. I am still trying to get the right color.  I did some mixing of colors and even though I'm not 100% happy with it, I must admit, it's much better in person than in the photo.
I've also used the Lawn Fawn Stitched Hillside die and the Sizzix Merry Moose die (tree), it was in the Tim Holtz line of fun dies released for Christmas.

Don't forget you can grab the Scripture Art over at Word Art Wednesday and use it in your projects. It's free!!  We would love to see you over there and link up your fun projects! The Scripture is Deuteronomy 4:39 a verse declaring God is Lord in heaven above and upon the earth beneath - there is none other! Such a vital truth to grasp.  Hope He is Lord of your life!

Until next time... have a great week and thanks for visiting.

Birthday Fishes! Seize the Birthday challenge

Hello!

Here is a card I made for my son-in-law whose birthday is tomorrow. Happy Birthday, Ray!
We did some fishing over the 4th of July and so when I saw this stamp set, I knew I'd need it for all the "boys" in the family.  Actually we all love to fish! This stamp set is called Reel Great Guys from Art Impressions.  I'm entering this in the Seize the Birthday challenge with the topping "water".  This is my second card for the challenge.

I used my Zig Clean Color brushes for this and I got brave and made my own island in the background. The plaid paper is from Lawn Fawn and I've used Strathford 140# cold press water color paper and a natural white Neenah card stock base.  I stamped the images with Archival Watering Can ink and used Silver Black Velvet brushes (#4 and #8), I've popped up the watercolor paper with fun foam for dimension.

Update on my daughter and the Carr Fire:  The evacuation has been lifted for her town of Lewiston, however the road to get there easily is still closed.  Last time she went the alternate route is was over 3 hours from her work where normally it would be 45 minutes.  Yikes! Please continue to pray for the firefighters and the displaced people here in California.  It is a mess and so sad to see.  But God is greater than the mess and He will provide and show Himself strong on behalf of those who love and trust Him.

Thanks for visiting!! 

The LORD has appeared of old to me, saying: "Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.  Jeremiah 31:3

Best Fishes for a Happy Birthday! #Seize the Birthday

Happy Saturday to my Delightful friends and family!

Here is a card I just finished for Henry's birthday. (Henry is my daughter's fiance's son, so he is our future grandson who is turning 5!)  Today is his birthday but his party is next week and HOPEFULLY we will be able to attend. 
They are in Lewiston which has been evacuated because of the Carr Fire. Please continue to pray! The firefighters are working hard to keep the fire from advancing over the fire lines near the town of Lewiston, so please pray. 141,825 acres have burned and it's only at 41% contained. Lord help!

Here is a picture of Henry's card, who by the way is a pretty great fisherman at the age of 5 and his favorite color is blue!  I will be linking this at the Seize the Birthday challenge.  The topping this week is water, well this is a stretch but what lives in the water: Fish and I've added a layer in blue pattern paper from BoBunny called Escape to Paradise.

Here is the inside:

I've used 3 stamp sets for this card:

Whipper Snapper: First Fish; Art Impressions:Reel Great Guys set; Darcie's Heart & Home: JCS209 (inside sentiment)

I've colored the front image with watercolors and the inside fish was colored with Copic markers and added clear Wink of Stella to make it shiny like fish scales 😃. The sentiments were stamped with Archival Cobalt ink and I've used a Spellbinder die to cut the inside sentiment and frame.

And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:19

Thanks for visiting and have a blessed day!

Fabulous Fuchias - Card Class

Hello!
I'm doing a class today at Scrapper's Edge, our local Scrapbook store in Eureka.
We will be making three cards featuring the Avery Elle stamp set called Hummingbird. 

Here are my card samples:

Class is from 1 to 3, so I know the ladies won't have time to finish all the cards, they are watercolored so I've done a lot of the prep work, such as die cutting, cutting the card stock to size, etc.  I've stamped and embossed the one card so it's ready to color.  The class includes all the supplies they would need to use including an envelope and an instruction sheet, for this class they just bring their watercolors and brushes as well as a Basic kit consisting of trimmer, scissors and adhesive.  If you are in the Eureka (northern Calif.) area or have plans to visit you should check out our website and see if there are going to be classes during the time you are here. You can sign up and pay online for your convenience and we like it if you would sign up at least 2 days before class so the instructors (like me!) have time to prepare for class.  Most of our card classes range from $15 to $18 which I think is really reasonable!  So check out the website here and see what we have to offer.

Praise the Lord.  Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who finds great delight in His commands.  Psalm 112:1

On the Calendar:

Next class that I will be teaching features Lawn Fawn stamps and dies and relates to what you find at the fair.  The local county fair is in August so I thought that would be a fun one to do.  I will post the card samples soon!  I'm working on September class samples this week!

Thanks for visiting and have a blessed week!

Blessed is the Man - WAW #338-339

Hello Delightful Friends and Family!

Sorry I'm late in posting this card for the Word Art Wednesday Challenge.  We have a wonderful sponsor this week - LAWN FAWN!  Yay! One of my favorite companies.  Love their cute stamps, interactive dies and fun papers!

Here is my card using 2 Lawn Fawn Dies: Forest Border and Stitched Mountain Border, the moose is a stamp from the set called Critters from the Arctic and the paper is Let's Polka in the Meadow (6x6 petite paper pack).  I've water colored the moose using Prima Marketing watercolors (Decadent Pies - yummy colors!)

So I thought this worked out well with the Scripture making this a masculine card, perfect for Father's Day coming up in a couple of weeks.  Hope you will join us in the Anything Goes, Family friendly challenge at Word Art Wednesday!  You can link up 5 new projects each week for the two week challenge.  Wouldn't you love to win a $25 gift card to Lawn Fawn?  Well you can't win if you don't play so head over to the WAW blog and check out the inspiration and join the fun.

Thanks so much for visiting!

Watercolored Cone flower - Word Art Wednesday #334 and #335

Hello Delightful Friends and Family, 

It's time for the Word Art Wednesday Anything Goes Challenge (family friendly)! This weeks sponsors are Pink and Main and Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps (digital).  Hope you'll play along to get a chance to win one of the prizes and share with us your talents!  We had over 300 entries last challenge!! That's so great and so much inspiration to check out.

I printed my Scripture art on vellum and it turned out somewhat light, hope you can read it but if not it's from Galatians 6:9 and if you'd like to use it for a project be sure to head over the Word Art Wednesday and grab it.  I diecut the vellum using the Lawn Fawn stitched rectangle and then added the butterflies (punch) and adhered them to the vellum then added the adhesive beneath the butterflies so it wouldn't show through on the vellum and it was enough to keep it attached to the watercolor paper;

Here is a picture of the coneflower before I added the Scripture, vellum and butterflies.  I found a really easy tutorial HERE to make this flower.  It took a little practice but I finally felt like I "got it"!  

Our Scripture verse this challenge is Galatians 6:9 "And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."

This verse got me to thinking about the life of Ruth and Naomi in the Old Testament, it happens to be what I am teaching in our Ladies Morning Bible Study on Wednesdays.  Even though it's a New Testament scripture it certainly applies to the life of Ruth.  She was so willing to work and stay with Naomi, she didn't seem to mind going out and gleaning in a field to provide for them.  She literally walked by faith and was met with grace from a close relative named Boaz.  Ruth didn't grow weary in well doing and she most definitely reaped the benefits!  What a wonderful love story and not only a love story but a story of redemption, too. Did you realize she is mentioned in the lineage of Jesus (Matthew 1:5)?  A Gentile, a woman, a Moabitess listed in the genealogy of Jesus Christ now that's amazing grace! Unmerited favor, that's what we find in our Redeemer and that's what Ruth found in her kinsman redeemer named Boaz! I am learning so much from the book of Ruth.  

Well that's it for me today.  It's been such a busy season of life, I rarely get to blog but I'm sure glad I can share a card or two a couple of times a month.  Thanks for visiting and God bless!

Need Wisdom? Word Art Wednesday Anything Goes Challenge

Hey Delightful Friends and Family! 

 Hope is all going well, I'm finally over this nasty cough and congestion.  That was my second bout with the crud and I'm so done with it!  Glad that Spring is finally here, although I call our Humboldt County weather "psycho spring" because #1 you have to dress in layers #2 it can be raining, then sunshine, then raining, then windy, then hailing all within an hour or two.  Crazy weather is our normal Spring season!  

Well it's time for our Anything Goes Challenge (Family Friendly) #330 & 331, over at the Word Art Wednesday Blog.  Hope you'll play along.  I've used a couple of items for this challenge from our Sponsor's store called Stamp Simply. Be sure and visit the shop and blog and get inspired. Thank you Sharon Johnson! We appreciate our faithful sponsors! 

Here is my card:

This die set called Coffee or Tea? has two different sizes of cups to choose from, check it out HERE.  I've used the larger cup and handle and now that I'm looking at the picture I see I forgot to add the "steam", it's somewhere on my craft table because I know I diecut it out! 

I diecut the cup from watercolor paper, then stamped the rose, masking off most of the stem.  This stamp set is called Thinking of You Rose.  It is an exclusive Stamp Simply set and you can see all of the additional stamps included in the set HERE. I think I need to get the Rose die that coordinates with this! After stamping the rose with Archival black ink, I colored the image with green Zig Clean Color Brushes (leaves & stem) and some of the red that was on my palette for the rose, then added Antique Linen (Distress ink) around the edges. The cup is popped up with dimensional tape. I also "distressed" the doily before adhering it to the pattern paper (Webster's Pages - from my box of 6x6 paper pads I am hoarding!). The Scripture Art this week is from the epistle of James chapter 1 verse 5.  I cut it out using a Fishtail Banner die (My Favorite Things) and the finishing touches are the bow and some red bling!

You can link up 5 projects each week for the challenge and also grab the free Scripture Art and use it, too!

This week we are looking at James 1:5 and are challenged to consider how we can rely on the Lord to give us wisdom if we ask. It takes faith to ask for it.  Are you needing wisdom?  I know I sure am, EVERY day!  Knowing that if I pray and ask for wisdom, the Lord will give it to me is a fabulous promise.  Have you ever gone through a trial and just didn't know how to proceed, but then you prayed out of desperation?  You needed wisdom and direction to know what to do and then "the light goes on" and you receive the knowledge and help you need "out of the blue" well, there are no coincidences, the Lord knows what we need and when.  But He also wants us to learn that the testing of our faith is going to produce patience, He wants us to ask in faith, believing He will direct us.  If you continue reading this chapter in James, there are so many faith building lessons that can help each of us grow spiritually - our goal is to reflect Jesus Christ, our Savior to this lost and dying world. So let's be doers of the Word and not just hearers. (you will find that in James chapter 1 also, it's just full of great doctrine for successful Christian living.  To God be the glory!

Thanks for visiting and if you read this long post, I thank you and pray that the Lord blesses you real good!! 

Trials Will Come

Hello Delightful friends and family,

I been MIA here in blogland for the last couple of weeks.  My husband Kerry had a heart attack (he is doing great, thank the Lord!) but ended up being in the hospital for a couple of days and having 3 stints put in to open up the blockage in his arteries.  It's taking a little bit of adjusting due to some lifestyle changes (mainly his diet and also trying to sleep with a cpap mask, any tips to help him adjust to this mask? He's fighting it big time). 

Learning to keep meals and snacks heart healthy and diabetic friendly have been a little challenging and time consuming.  I want meals to taste good!  So... my focus has not been on crafting but counting calories, cholestrol, sodium, fat, protein, plus finding good recipes, etc.  But it's paying off for my sweetie, he has lost 10lbs and that's good but why did I only loose 3? Just doesn't seem fair! 😏

Well, it's time for another Word Art Wednesday challenge.  It's Anything Goes - Family Friendly. Our sponsors are Heartfelt Creations (product) and Cutting Cafe (digital).  Two prizes!! You'll have 2 weeks to play along and you can link up 5 new projects.

Here is my card for challenge 298 & 299:

I've used the Sizzix die (Tim Holtz Alterations Tree Line Thinlits) which I diecut using black cardstock and doubled it up for more dimension.  The background was created with watercolors on 140lb Strathmore cold press watercolor paper. Super easy to do.  Start with some light colors but lots of pigment on your paint brush.  Dry completely and then paint over it with black. I splattered the paper with white acrylic paint that I've had for ages!  I used a circle punch to create the moon and swiped some acrylic white paint across the yellow card stock to give it a shadowy effect. I've colored the banner with Wink of Stella Gold and a Spica gold pen.

Our Scripture Art is from the book of Job: "But He knoweth the way I take: when He hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold." Job 23:10

How appropriate for this week considering what we have been going through this week. The Lord knew exactly what kind of trial we would be facing. You see, since He knows, He can strengthen us to face each trial and as we submit to Him we are able to come forth as gold.  That means are faith which is more precious than gold has been purified through the heat of the trial.  Consider what the people in Texas and Lousianna are going through right now because of Hurricane Harvey. Our nation has an opportunity to come forth as gold, pleasing to our Lord by showing love to our neighbors no matter their political affiliation. Perhaps this disaster will bring healing to our nation. It touches all of us and I hope that we all step up and do the right thing to honor the Lord Jesus and help our brothers and sisters in need. I don't know about you but I sure want my faith to come forth as gold in the eyes of the Lord. Trials will come and go, learn to lean on our Creator and He will direct your path in a way that will be for your good and His glory.

Thanks for visiting and continued prayers for our friends in Texas and Louisiana.

It's Summer! WAW challenge 288 and 289

Hello Delightful friends and family!!

Happy summer! Time to turn up the AC and pull out the sun screen!  Now I must admit, we don't have AC because it doesn't get that hot here in northern California.  We open the windows and back door to get a bit of a breeze to go through the house! But we sure don't have to go far to get into the extreme heat! Of course there are a couple of big lakes to jump into if it gets too hot and locally we have the river and ocean to cool off in.

Well, it's time for another Word Art Wednesday Challenge with a fabulous sponsor in Simon Says Stamp! So be sure and link up your project for a chance to win a $25 gift card!  Thanks to everyone who plays along, I'm amazed how many entries we have each challenge and all the beautiful creations.

Here is my card, I didn't use an exclusive Simon Says Stamp but you could get this stamp and die from their online store.  I have a list of my ingredients below the card.

Ingredients - Stamp: Floral Bouquet from Avery Elle, Die: Horizontal Stripes, Avery Elle-ments.

Colored with Tombow Markers. Embellished with Liquid Pearls (buttercup); Strathmore 140lb cold press watercolor paper; Neenah white card stock (base); Pink card stock (stash). Scripture Art (digi from Karen Murray).  I've stamped the largest image once, two of the smaller blossoms, a spray and 4 leaves and assembled them on the card after I watercolored and fussy cut them out.

The Scripture Art is from the book of Jeremiah (chapter 31 and verse 3) and is all about the lovingkindness of the Lord.  Even at times when we are rebellious and stubborn, the Lord goes to extraordinary lengths to extend grace and mercy.  Is that a reason to continue in sin, absolutely not! He gently reminds us to get back on the right path many times before discipline comes to us.  But what good father doesn't discipline his children, right?  There is another Scripture that comes to mind that I read the other day in the book of Psalms that I would like to share. If we would just remember to give God the glory and praise Him for His faithfulness, it helps us to stay the course and be blessed of the Lord. He only wants what is best for us and is always there to help us to endure through whatever comes our way.

It is good to give thanks to the LORD, And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High. To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning, And Your faithfulness every night;    Psalm 92:2

Thanks so much for visiting! Have a blessed week and enjoy the summer!

Longing For the Lord - Word Art Wednesday #284 & #285

Hello Delightful friends and family!

Enjoying some nice weather and watching all four of the grand munchkins playing baseball and softball.  Thankfully I only have to divide myself between 3 teams since the two youngest are on the same softball team.  But sometimes two teams are playing at the same time at the same park (isn't that fun). I've got to learn to clone myself! 😎

 So inbetween games, work, church etc. I was able to make this card for Word Art Wednesday.  This weeks sponsor is Simon Says Stamps so I was pleased to be able to use these pretty stamps called Roses For You a stamp set from the Simon Says Stamp line. Remember you can link up 5 new projects to share with us at WAW.  It is an Anything Goes - Family Friendly Challenge!

Thanks to everyone playing last challenge there were over 360 entries! That's just incredible!

I've stamped the images with Versamark and then heat embossed with Gold embossing powder and colored the roses, leaves and background with Peerless watercolors on 140lb cold press watercolor paper.

Our Scripture art this week is from Psalm 42:1.  I love the book of Psalms (in reality I love ALL the Bible!) it teaches us redemption, it teaches us to seek the Lord with all of our hearts plus there is great encouragement from the Lord through the writers of Psalms. But what speaks to my heart loudly and teaches me so vividly is how to seek the Lord and be a woman after God's heart.  This verse today uses the natural desire of a thirsty deer, a deer seeking water perhaps due to a drought or perhaps it has been pursued by a hunter and needs water to continue it's flight. It gives us the picture of how we should be longing after our Lord Jesus. 

 The Word of God refreshes us just as a deep drink of cold water when thirsty and I'm talking about being really parched and then being satisfied. Seeking/longing to know God can truly satisfy, meditating on His Word brings about contentment, a sense of satisfaction that the world cannot give. Can I encourage you to take a deep drink of God's Word so that you too can be satisfied?  Here is another verse in Psalms that David wrote:

O God, You are my God;
Early will I seek You;
My soul thirsts for You;
My flesh longs for You
In a dry and thirsty land
Where there is no water.  Psalm 63:1

Seek and trust God wholeheartedly and be satisfied!

Well, that's it for me today! I think I might be able to prep for my card class which is next week since there won't be anymore games until after Memorial Day weekend.  Maybe I can get ahead! (ha!)

Enjoy the rest of the week and thanks so much for visiting!  Don't forget to visit the Word Art Wednesday Blog and play along with us.  It's a two week challenge!

Happy Thoughts! Mustard Seed Faith Challenge

Hello Delightful friends and family!

Just a quick post to share a card. I will be entering this at the Mustard Seed Faith Blog - God as Creator is the challenge as well as a sketch (which I didn't follow this time). The ladies shared the lyrics to the song by Big Daddy Weave called Overwhelmed. It talks about how overwhelming God is in His power, His mercy and of course His creation.  You don't have to go far to see His creation (just look in the mirror!).  I think of the saying about stopping and smelling the roses, well this card doesn't have roses but it has flowers and when you stop and look at each flower and realize they had to have a designer and that designer is God, it is overwhelming!  Flowers most definitely shout out about the glory of God!

The flower stamps I've used are a set by Sweet 'n Sassy called Pretty Potted Florals (which were designed by NinaB Designs who incidentally years ago designed my blog signature and I don't want to ever replace it! I love it!)

The sentiment is from the set called Happy by Hampton Arts.

I've colored with Tombow Markers and stamped with Archival Jet Black ink.  The watercolor paper is Strathmore 140lb cold press. The card stock is Neenah bright white 80lb and I've cut it to be a 4.25" square card.  The die is from Spellbinders.

I double stamped two of the flowers and one leaf that hangs over the framed die. The butterfly is from a stamp set called Floral Silhouettes One (JustRite Papercrafts) which I used my Tombow markers to ink up on the watercolor paper. I've popped up the main image with dimensional adhesive as well as the two extra flowers.

Well that's it for me today!  Have a great weekend. Thanks for visiting.

PS Just found out I won a prize at MSF blog for the last challenge!  Thank you!!

Praise the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, You are very great; You are clothed with splendor and majesty.  Psalm 104:1

Finding Joy - Word Art Wednesday (Challenge 280 & 281)

Hello Delightful friends and family!

Just a quick post to share my card for Word Art Wednesday.  I've been doing lots of experimenting with watercolors and my card this week is no exception.  I've used layering stamps, a Distress Ink, a Marvy Brush Marker and a Zig Clean Color Marker for this card.

Hope you'll link up this week (and next) at WAW, share your project with us! This weeks generous sponsor is Simon Says Stamp!! Also welcome to Diane Hover who has been our  Guest Designer this month!  Be sure and visit the challenge site and read the devotional plus see all the fun creations by the design team!

 Above is this weeks free Word Art digi.

Ingredients to card:

Hampton Art Layering Stamp "Happy"

Distress ink - Worn Lipstick

Marvy Brush Marker - Olive (stamped off once)

Zig Clean Color marker - orange

140lb Strathmore cold press watercolor paper

pink gingham ribbon (my stash)

Green card stock

Neenah bright white 80lb card stock (base and digi sentiment)

Our scripture art this week features Psalm 5:11.  This is one of my favorites for personal reasons but I have to add the following verse 12 to make it complete for me.  I even wrote a worship song for our church based on these verses.
Here is verse 12 in the NKJV:
"For You, O LORD, will bless the righteous; With favor You will surround him as with a shield."
I would have to look back at some old journaling notebooks of mine to see why exactly these verses ministered to me so much but I do know that I pray for God's favor to surround me as a shield. Verses 11 and 12 remind me that joy, protection and blessing will surround me because I put my trust and faith in the Lord.  Just imagine that large shield designed to surround us completely with God's benefits.  If that doesn't create a bit of joy in the soul then I don't know what will!!  Chapter 5 is a great prayer for guidance that David penned and in my bible notes it says "To the Chief Musician, with flutes, a Psalm of David" perhaps that is why I was inspired to pen my own song after reading these verses! But I must admit, I do not play the flute, I play the keyboards, however, I believe there is a flute function on it! 😁
Well that's all for me, I pray you all have a fantastic week and trust that you will be delighted by God's Word and as you seek Him early each day you will feel that joy and peace that surrounds you like a shield.

Thanks so much for visiting!

30 Day Coloring Challenge

Hello Delightful Friends and Family,

This is a card I was working on for a class next month (Flower Power) at Scrapper's Edge, all the cards will be focused on flowers (of course!).  I've colored this with Tombow markers and the layering stamp is called Believe from Hampton Arts.  The background colors are Distress Inks and I've used 140lb cold press watercolor paper (Strathmore).  I will be sharing this at the Daily Marker blog for the 30 Day Coloring Challenge.  I've been coloring nearly every day, just don't get things posted like I should!

Thanks so much for visiting and hooray it's less than a week until it's officially Spring!!

You formed my inward parts; You knitted me together in my mother's womb.  Psalm 139:13

(Love that the Lord knows us before we are even born!!)

No Line Coloring Part 2 - 30 Day Coloring Challenge

Hey there Delightful Friends and Family!

Here is the final coloring of this poppy stamp from Penny Black.  I don't think I mentioned in my last post that I originally stamped this with Distress Ink Antique Linen.  I'm not going to mess with this anymore.  Next time you see this it will be on a card with a sentiment!  I've added another layer of paint and lightly colored the background blue and gray with a little bit of negative painting in a darker gray.
This is Day 6 of the 30 Day Coloring Challenge! Just getting this in under the wire!

Thanks so much for visiting!  Hope you are having a colorful day!

For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.  Galatians 5:13

No Line Coloring - 30 Day Coloring Challenge

Hello Delightful friends and family!
Crazy weather here in northern California!   Lots of hail and even more snow in the lower mountain ranges. So I'm now staying in and working on my no line coloring technique!  This is really hard for me and I really want to learn this skill. I was hoping to share this  technique in a class next month but I don't think I'm ready to do that.  Maybe after lots and lots of practice, which means lots and lots of coloring!  I still need to add another layer of color and figure out the background on this.  Maybe tomorrow I will have that done and ready to post (at least the coloring portion).
This is Day 5 of the 30 day coloring challenge.

Ingredients:

Stamp: Penny Black

Paper: 140lb Strathmore watercolor paper

Watercolor: Simply Art 36 cake paint set

Brushes #2, #3, #6, #0/2

Thanks so much for visiting and have a color happy day!

(the sun is peeking through, I tell ya, it's crazy weather time)

Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. Psalm 46:10

Rejoicing & Praying - Word Art Wednesday and Taylored Expressions!

Hello Delightful Friends and Family!
So excited to share with you my card featuring stamps from one of our sponsor for Word Art Wednesday this week:  Taylored Expressions! Yay!
Taylored Expressions was the first online stamp company I ever ordered from and I just loved their sketch challenges and their Key Ingredient monthly kit (way back when!). Their products are fabulous and the design team is one of the best in the craft industry, if not the best! Such a creative group.  Thanks Taylor for being our sponsor and thank you for so much inspiration that you've shared with all of us crafters!  Wouldn't you love to win the prize for this challenge?? Go visit the Word Art Wednesday Challenge blog for challenge #272 and #273. And make sure you visit the Taylored Expressions Blog for more inspiration!

This stamp is from the set Light of the World which includes another stained glass image and four sentiments. Check out this link HERE.  I've used my Zig Clean Color markers to color and stamped the image with Jet Black Archival ink, using my MISTI for placement. I've stamped on 140lb cold press watercolor paper (Strathmore) cut to 4" x 5.25" and layered it on black card stock and adhered to a Neenah 80lb  white card stock base. The Scripture was printed on Vellum.
Here is a peek at the inside where I've used another T.E. stamp set called Easter Joy (retired).

I chose the stamp image with the stained glass cross to coordinate with the 1 Thessalonian verse. It was a reminder to rejoice in the fact that Jesus is no longer on the cross and the grave could not hold Him so that I could pray and have fellowship with Him without ceasing!  Isn't that great to know?  Sometimes it's hard to be thankful and rejoice when we are facing tough battles in this life, but the Bible tells us that He will never leave us nor forsake us and that we also can come boldly to the throne of grace in our time of need.  It seems lately that I've been spending much more time at the foot of His throne but I also know that He intercedes for me and knows the desires of my heart.  Remembering that helps me to be filled with joy and thanksgiving. I know that Jesus gives me the strength to do that with the help of His Holy Spirit and know with assurance that God is still at work even in the unknown! So run this race of faith with endurance and don't give up! God is faithful don't stop trusting, don't stop praying. Be encouraged!

Thanks so much for visiting today and please visit Word Art Wednesday and join us for this 2 week Anything Goes - family friendly challenge. You can link up 5 new projects!

I will be posting another card I made using two more stamp sets from Taylored Expressions for the 30 Day Coloring Challenge later today at the Daily Marker Blog!!

Faith, Hope and Charity - Word Art Wednesday

Hello Delightful friends and family!
It's time for another card for our challenge at Word Art Wednesday (#268 and #269).  Hope you will play along and remember it's Anything Goes - Family Friendly. Our sponsors this week are Winnie & Walter and the Cutting Cafe!  Thank you sponsors!!
Our Scripture art is from 1 Corinthians 13:13 and it's all about the love of God - Agape!

Here is my card:

Here are the ingredients and steps to making this card:

1. Base - Neenah bright white card stock A2 size with side fold. 

2.  Cut Strathmore 140lb cold press watercolor paper 5.5 x 4.25

3. Using blue painter's tape (1" wide), place tape around all the edges to make a "frame".

4. Stamp heart (Simon Says Stamp - Roses for You set) using Jet Black Archival ink on watercolor paper.

5. Stamp same heart onto masking paper and cut out and cover the stamped heart.

6. Stamp stem and leaves using Olive Archival Ink (see photo for placement)

7. Remove masking paper.

8. Using Zig Clean Color brushes, color the heart (Dark Pink, Dark Red, Carmine Red).  Dry. Color Leaves (May Green & Light Green). Dry completely. Use waterbrush or #2 round brush and clean water to blend colors before drying.

9. Color "white area inside the frame with Cobalt Blue Zig Clean Color brush, blend with clean water and #3 round brush.  Dry completely.

10. Carefully pull off blue masking tape.

11. With Micron black pen, draw lines using a ruler to frame out focal image.

12.  Add Scripture Art that has been printed out on Vellum, adhere on the backside of watercolor paper.  Adhere to the card base.

Our friend is here from Nebraska visiting for a week so I need to keep this brief. He is a pastor and evangelist and will be preaching at our church 3 nights this week plus Sunday morning so it's a busy and blessed week!  Hope everyone has a wonderful week and are walking in love, it's the best gift to give and receive!

Thanks for visiting and please remember to pray for the USA!

Redeemed - Word Art Wednesday Challenge (264 & 265)

Hello Delightful Friends and Family!
Happy New Year to you all! Praying for a wonderful year for all of us and if you are in Christ then I know it can't be anything but blessed because we are safe in His hands.

We are starting our new year of challenges for Word Art Wednesday with new sponsors and some fun things planned. I'm looking forward in being a part of this creative, God honoring challenge team!
So without further chitchat here is my card and the beautiful Scripture art that you are invited to use (it's free!). Of course you don't have to use it to play along but we would love for you to try it out! Just a quick reminder that our challenge is Anything Goes and Family Friendly.   Our sponsor this challenge (which runs for 2 weeks) is the Greeting Farm $40 in product and Craftin' Desert Divas 2 digis!

I just love the stamp I've used from WPlus9.  I started by using my Zig Clean Color Markers to create the background, I scribbled the color on the 140lb cold press Strathmore watercolor paper and added water with a brush.  Dried it with a heat gun.  Then I did a bit of masking to create the scene.  Stamped with Archival Fern Green ink, then I colored in the images with the same colors I used for the background.  I added a little bit of the white Signa Uniball pen to highlight the images after it dried. I printed the verse on vellum then added the seam binding ribbon/bow (it was dyed using Distress Ink - Twisted Citron). Then I added it to a white c/s base.

Don't forget to head over to Word Art Wednesday and grab the free Scripture Art and take time to play along with us.

When you consider this new year I think it would benefit us greatly if we start it out by giving thanks to the Lord for it!  When God delivers us from anything we should be giving thanks and after 2016 we really should be giving thanks for a new day (His mercies are new every morning!!), for a  new year 😊 it most definitely was a trying one here in the USA. So we really need to take heed and "Let the redeemed of the Lord say so!!"  Let's magnify the Lord this year and truly give Him all the glory and praise even in the midst of our own personal trials and expect the victory, after all the battle is the Lord's!  

Here is a New Testament verse to go along with Psalm 107, it's from 1 John 3:1 "How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called the children of God." Hope you will take the time to read Psalm 107 and see how our faithful Lord takes care of those who call out to Him.

Thanks so much for visiting and have a wonderful day!!