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!!

Nothing too hard for God - Word Art Wednesday

Hello Delightful Friends and Family,
Hope everyone had a nice Valentine's Day!   Can't believe we are already in the middle of February.  Wasn't it just Christmas?  My mom had back surgery January 6 and is finally doing better and walking with a cane rather than a walker. Please continue to pray for the Lord to strengthen her and help her to persevere with her exercises. I've made a card for our family friendly - Anything  Goes challenge at Word Art Wednesday #270 - 271!
We have a great sponsor in Simon Says Stamp!  As a matter of fact I've used the sheep from the Melody's Easter stamp & die set on this card. Did you know if you play along you have a chance at winning a $25 gift card for Simon Says Stamp Online store!
  I've colored the sheep with Copics W0, W1 and R20;  Then with my Micron black pen I began adding (what looks like smiles) curved lines on the body and the forehead,  I thought that would add a little fun and dimension to the wool.  And since it's still winter I've added the snowcaps to the mountains (Lawn Fawn Stitched Mountain Border).  These are available at the Simon Says Stamp online store!

This is a really simple card to put together, 2 pieces of pattern paper,white card stock, blue card stock, the mountain die, the sheep, copics to color and Scripture Art, and voila!
I love how Karen Murray (Scripture Art designer) made the last line bold.  It truly highlights the verses meaning and Jeremiah who is being quoted from chapter 32 verse 17 experienced the Lord's hand in his life and if you know anything about Jeremiah's life you know he had his ups and downs (just like all of us) but the bottom line is that "there is nothing too hard for Thee."  God who spoke the world into existence isn't hindered whatsoever in delivering you through or out of your difficulties.  Jesus is the faithful Good Shepherd (that's what I'm learning this week in our Bible study with Lysa Terkheurst's "Finding I Am" - this is a very good Bible study.

Well thanks for visiting and don't forget to play along with us at the Word Art Wednesday Challenge, remember you can link up 5x and that means you have more chances to win that gift card from Simon Says Stamp!

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!

Help Comes From the Lord (WAW 266 and 257)

Hello Delightful friends and family!
Hope all is well with you.  I'm battling bronchitis but went to the doctor and had a breathing treatment and got a prescription for an inhaler so I'm looking forward to breathing without my chest sounding like a creaking gate and getting a good night sleep real soon!

It's time for WORD ART WEDNESDAY Anything Goes (family friendly) Challenge again!  This weeks sponsor is SIMON SAYS STAMP!!! (check out the SSS blog for lots of inspiration!) Hope you can play along, maybe you will win the $25 gift certificate from Simon Says Stamp.  Thank You Simon Says!!  Just a reminder that you can link up 5 new projects.

Here is my card and I've used the Simon Says Stamp Gingham Background stamp for the background. The technique I've used is emboss resist using Distress Inks, Versamark and clear embossing powder.

Free Scripture Art:

Are you facing a hill, a problem too big to handle?  Don't let that difficulty become bigger than God. Declare God's Word and say to that difficulty "my help comes from the Lord!" You may not understand how that help will come but keep your eyes focused on Him knowing that He is in control and will deliver the righteous.  The Lord watches over us day and night.(read all of Psalm 121) He is faithful.  Jesus told His disciples that in this world we will have tribulation.  But He goes on to say that we should be of good cheer because He overcame the world.  Be encouraged today in Christ Jesus, He loves us and doesn't want our fears to overwhelm our faith. To God be all the glory!

Other Ingredients: Word Art Wednesday Scripture Art
 Lawn Fawn Stitched Tree Border Die;
Distress Inks: Salty Ocean, Peacock Feathers, Mowed Lawn
Paper: Lawn Fawn Plaids (6x6) for trees; green polkadot from my stash; white Vellum; 140lb Strathmore cold press watercolor paper; Neenah bright white c/s (base)
Versamark Ink; Clear Embossing powder, EK Success Anti-static powder
Big Shot diecutting machine

Thanks so much for visiting!!

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!!

May God's Grace Abound in You!

An early Merry Christmas to my Delightful Friends and Family!

Not sure how Christmas tends to sneak up on me but it does every year.  I think I'm ahead of the game and BAM, I'm feeling overwhelmed and watching the days and hours go by so quickly.  I guess it's the last minute things that tend to add up that due me in! I keep adding to the to do list. I think I need to actually write out the list so that I know I'm actually making some progress when I have the pleasure of crossing out one of the "to do's"! I just spent the last two evening uploading over 850 pictures of the grandkids from this year.  Then I whittled it down to 593 and edited them. I've given my daughter and daughter-in-law photo albums of the current year for a Christmas gift, so that they will have pics of the kids I've done that the last 3 years and now if I don't do it I will hear about it!  Now if I was smart I would do this monthly so that it wouldn't be so overwhelming but... that's just not my style, it's one of those things that I've left to the last minute.  Okay, so next year I'm going to try and do better.

Well here is my card for our Word Art Wednesday Challenge.  It's the last challenge for 2016 (#262 and #263)! Hope you can find some time to squeeze in some crafty time and join us! Someone will win a $25 gift certificate from Simon Says Stamp!!  That would certainly motivate me to play!  Thanks to our sponsors for this past year and thanks to all our participants (and there have been many!!)

I've kept this card pretty simple and it's one that could be easily duplicated. It is a square card 5.5" x 5.5" which is just a bit larger than an A2 card so I will have to make an envelope for this one but I know 6x6" envelopes are available. The stamp set I've used is from Penny Black (Winter Joy) and I've used Copic Markers to color it.  The image was stamped in Memento Tuxedo Black ink. The pattern paper is from Carta Bella Christmas Delivery Collection.

Here is a close up so that you can see how I've applied Glossy Accents to the berries.  

Don't forget the Scripture Art is free so be sure and go to the Word Art Wednesday Blog to grab it from there!

What a perfect gift, God's grace!  He is teaching us daily to live in contentment and to be abounding in grace so that we may extend His grace to others through giving of ourselves whether it be our time, money or even our ear to someone who needs a compassionate listener.  He wants us to abound not only in grace but in every good work which He has ordained for us before the foundation of the world.  It's wonderful to have His Spirit lead us and grow us into vessels fit for His service but it's by His grace and strength that we are able to fulfill His will and purposes to glorify His name. 

I probably won't be back until after Christmas so I hope you are all blessed with a peaceful, wonderful day celebrating the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. Thanks so much for visiting!

PS Thanks Shaz for your tip in the comment (Ginny's card was beautiful) and congrats on winning the digital images from All Dressed Up (they have adorable images to color!)

For God So Loved - Word Art Wednesday

Hello and God bless to my Delightful Friends and Family!

Sorry for the late posting.  I usually get the post for the Word Art Wednesday Challenge written the night before and last night I went to bed instead.  It finally caught up with me!  I've been burning the candle at both ends, as the saying goes, and have had an awful upper respiratory "thing" going on so I chose to go to bed early. So here I am better late than never!

Here is my card for this weeks challenge #260 and #261 (I'm afraid it is not my best work and I really wanted to start over but I just couldn't muster up the creative juices and time was getting away from me.) I like the technique I chose but it's the design of it that makes me "scrunch up my nose". It's missing some design element, I may have to do another one and post the "better" version, IMHO. I love the digital Scripture Art but I'm still learning to resize and "tweak" it a bit to fit my cards. I've printed it out on Vellum and I need to find a better way to display it. I think I will move the Scripture Art to the inside and use a stamp from the Paper Smooches set that goes with the image.
  I work on Publisher so if you have any tips that would be really great!

Ingredients:

Paper: 140lb cold press Strathmore; navy card stock, white Neenah bright white card stock for the base.

Stamp: Paper Smooches - A Blessed Christmas

Dies: Simon Says Stamp! Stitched Circle

Ink: Archival Jet Black; Distress Inks (Faded Jeans, Chipped Sapphire and Broken China)

Coloring Medium: Zig Clean Color Brushes

Ribbon: from Michael's

I believe the beautiful Scripture from John 3:16 used today is perfect for our Christmas season.  Jesus was our gift from God the Father to restore fallen mankind to Himself.  He initiated the restoration process with the beautiful promise of eternal life.  How could anyone say no to that? All we have to do is believe.

I believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, do you?  I hope so... He is the only way that leads to eternal life.

Thanks for visiting and I pray your week is a blessed one!