A Peace Miracle

Whenever I see this Irish blessing I always think of the political violence and strife that Northern Ireland experienced for many years, referred to locally as "the troubles" - many families we know lost loved ones.  When I first came to live here from the U.S. 26 years ago it was inconceivable to imagine that either side would put down their arms - but they have!  Not every problem is solved but we are all thankful for the level of peace that we now experience which can only be described as a miracle!

I used the Color Challenge colors at Splitcoaststampers today given to us by Julia (artystamper) - two shades of green and a light tan.  To stick close to them I used Ranger Distress Antique Linen ink to sponge the sky with a Papertrey Ink cloud die-cut for my cloud shapes.

I ran the same ink pad lightly over the embossing to add definition and stitched the rolling green hills from dp scraps.  The Martha Stewart arch lattice punch makes shapes which have a Celtic look so I edged both sides of the card using it.

Supplies include:

Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles

Verve Blessings stamp set

Martha Stewart arch lattice punch

Mini butterfly punch

Champagne pearls

Sewing Machine

Ranger Distress Antique Linen

Memento Tuxedo Black ink

Creative Expressions Brick embossing folder

SU River Rock, Lucky Limeade, Pear Pizzaz cardstock

You Can't be Beet!

I had a little spare time tonight so I made a quick card for the Clean and Simple Challenge at Splitcoaststampers to use SU's Rich Razzleberry and white - had to sneak in a bit of green to use this cute beet image from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Punny Fruit and Veggies set.  I think I'll save this card for my Dad for Father's Day since one of his favorite foods is pickled beets!  I arranged the sentiment on the acrylic block so that it would be circular and added a doodled frame on the inside edge of the Nestabilities Circle die.

Supplies include:

Paper Mill Shop white linen cardstock

SU Rich Razzleberry cardstock

SU Rich Razzleberry dp

Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles

Twine

Button

Black fine line pen

Copics

Memento Tuxedo Black ink 

The Whole Earth

Today's Color Challenge colors at Splitcoaststampers are shades of pink combined with gray - I had some dp scraps which fit the bill!  I also combined two Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps sets, using a butterfly from Everyday Miracles, and a sentiment from Morning Glory.

A butterfly seemed to be a good example of the evidence of God's creative glory!

All edges have been sponged with Memento Tuxedo Black except for the sentiment circle which has been sponged with SU's Pretty in Pink.

Supplies include:

Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Everyday Miracles

Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Morning Glory

MFT Dizzy Doily Die-namic

Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles

Cosmo Cricket dp

My Minds Eye dp

Pearls

Pearl brad

Memento Tuxedo Black ink

Stampin Up Pretty in Pink ink

Sewing machine

Copics

Ribbon

Cream Rose Thankyou

I used the My Favorite Things sketch for Wednesday Sketch Club 59 for this Pure Innocence card.  It was a chance to put together some favorite October Afternoon dp's which I sponged very lightly with Memento Tuxedo Black ink on the edges.

The cream felt rose covers the poppy in this image for a bit more dimension and texture.  To finish I  added a quadruple strand of cream twine for the bow.

I'm loving the Lifestyle Crafts Inverted Square Nesties...there are 19 dies in this set and it's no more expensive than other Nesties!

Supplies include:

October Afternoon dp

Lifestyle Crafts Inverted Square Nesties

Pearls

Sewing Machine

Memento Tuxedo Black ink

My Favorite Things Pure Innocence Poppy

My Favorite Things Rolled Rose Die-namic

Felt

Red Shutters

I made this card for an 81 year old friend who recently gave us a gift - she's heading off to China in three weeks to visit friends and went to Israel last year!  She's an inspiration - I hope I have as much "get up and go" when I'm her age!

I've also used the sketch  from the Sketch Challenge at Splitcoaststampers this week.

I ran over the embossed bg with a Ranger Distress ink pad and popped up the window in various layers after coloring with copics.  Afterwards I thought it would have been more dimensional to make the curtains a separate layer - note to self for next time!

The outside edges of the window and shutters image have been sponged just to add a bit of definition and dimension.

I've got more ideas for using this window and shutters image, but needed a quick card for the moment!

Supplies include:

Creative Expressions Brick embossing folder

Spellbinders Circles Small

Pearls

Copics

Ranger Distress Antique Linen, Barn Door, Frayed Burlap ink

Memento Tuxedo Black ink

Molly Blooms Designs Window

Worth It

I made this card for the Sketch Challenge at Splitcoaststampers today which was given to us by Taylor based on a card made by Janelle (dizzymommie).  I moved the circle over to accomadate the flower and image which is by American Art Stamps.  I went a little bit crazy with the yellow ink...I blame those cute wee yellow roses in the dp...they started the whole yellow thing, but it hopefully it brings some "sunshine" to a cold February day!

I added a scribbly doodled frame with a black fine line pen to try and match the style of the image.

The sentiment makes me smile but I belive it's absolutely true...Jesus Himself said that in this world we will have trouble - but that He has overcome the world.  And God has promised us that He can and will make our troubles worth it if we let Him....and yet I still want to run a mile from hard times! 

Supplies include:

American Art Stamps Emerson Worth It

Memento Tuxedo Black ink

Ranger Distress Scattered Straw ink

SU Yoyo Yellow ink

Sewing Machine

Rose (Wild Orchid Crafts)

Copics

Spellbinders Circles Small

2 CUTE

I made this card with a sketch for the CAS Challenge at Splitcoaststampers by Nancy (Nancy Litrell).  I used MFT's Say What stamps and Die-namics and Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Heart Die set, popping up the speech bubbles and the hearts, then adding brads to finish.  Both of these die sets were presents from sweet SCS friends....mwaaaaah, hugs and Happy Valentines Day, girls!

A quick and easy Valentines Day card!

Supplies include:

Stampin Up Real Red ink

Memento Tuxedo Black ink

K & Co. Sweet Nectar dp

Stampin Up Basic Black cardstock

Paper Mill Shop White Linen cardstock

brads

Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Heart Die set

MFT Say What Die-namics

MFMT Say What stamps

My Glory

I created this card using Holly's sketch for the SCS Sketch Challenge this week.  I love these October Afternoon Farmhouse dp's with aqua's, teals, gray and cream.  They remind me of quilt fabric so I just had to do some stitching!

I used Tsukineko Brilliance Starlite Black ink for the sentiment and to sponge lightly around the edges of the deckled rectangle while it was still in the die.  This ink has a slight sheen which is very pretty but isn't evident in photo's.

I used a ball stylus tool for shaping the petals of flowers punched with Martha Stewart's hydrangea punch. It's as easy as laying the petals on something soft like a piercing mat and then moving the rounded end of the stylus in a circular motion with pressure on each petal so that the paper fibers break down...viola, the petals begin to curve up and look very realistic in shape!  I found that even if they began to crease a bit, continued pressure and motion smoothed the creases out.  The end result is great dimension on punched flowers.

What an incredible Bible verse this is...it's as if The Lifter of My Head is a name for God....to me it speaks of the power of His redemption to heal when our heads are hung in shame, to restore the dignity of being created in His image, and to pour strength and courage into us when discouragement has us looking down.

Supplies include:

October Afternoon Farmhouse dp

Sewing machine

Pearls

Spellbinders Deckled Edge Rectangles

Martha Stewart Hydrangea punches

My Favorite Things Fancy Flourish Die-namic

Spellbinders Fleur de Lis Squares

Tsukineko Brilliance Starlite Black ink

Bless Your Heart

I made this for the CAS challenge at Splitcoaststampers to use HEARTS - a perfect chance to use Sweet n' Sassy Stamps Heart Die set - I love these, there's such a variety of shapes!

I used scraps of dp and sponged the edges with Ranger Distress ink, which I also used to sponge a strip after masking with post-it-notes.  I added some buttons for dimension and rounded the upper corners.

A fun card to make!

Supplies include:

Sweet n' Sassy Stamps Blessings and Thanks

Sweet n' Sassy Stamps Hearts Die set

Basic Grey, October Afternoon, My Minds eye dp

Papermill Shop Cream Linen cardstock

Buttons

Ranger Distress Antique Linen, Frayed Burlap ink

Post-it-notes

Red Peony

I was inspired to create this card based on a pillow at Charleston Gardens, which is the Inspiration Challenge website which Judy (stampingqueenJAR) chose for us at SCS today - here's the PILLOW.

I'm hoping to get lots of housework done today so I went with a CAS look and simply colored the image, adding a frame with a black fine liner and then popping it up on black.  I added a few pearls for the flower center and to accent the sentiment.

Here are the copics which I used:

Covered the whole area of each petal to be colored with R000

Then colored the petal center areas with R59, and worked outward on each petal with

R29, R24, R22, R20 and then used R000 again on the very tips of each petal.

Supplies include:

SU Whisper White cardstock

SU Basic Black cardstock

Black fine line pen

Pearls

Copics

Stampendous Jumbo Peony

Cake and Candles

This card is made using the My Favorite Things layout for the Wednesday Sketch Club #57 by Frances (stampowl) which you can find HERE.

I added a felt flower cut with MFT's Rolled Rose Die-namic gluing two of them together so that I could get a larger flower.  All the edges have been distressed with Ranger Distress Frayed Burlap ink.

The aqua and cream paper with the little red flowers is the very last of my favorite dp ever - from October Afternoon.  I love the color combo with a retro look!

Supplies include:

MFT Time to Celebrate

October Afternoon dp

Stampin Up Basic Black cardstock

Brads

Felt

MFT Rolled Rose Die-namic

MFT Mini Tab Quarted Die-namic

Memento Tuxedo Black ink

Ranger Distress Frayed Burlap ink

Copics

Sweet n' Sassy Stamps February Release Blog Hop

Hello and welcome to Sweet and Sassy Stamps February Release Blog Hop!  There was so much excitement about this month's release, it was made available a whole week early! 

Are you comfy?  Well, get ready to be inspired as you check out what the design team have created!

Here's my first project:

This beautiful flower set is called Morning Glory and it's a dream to color - there are several Bible verses and a number of sentiments which are very suitable for sympathy cards or cards of encouragement.  I masked the flowers and leaves and sponged around the edges of the circle, then colored the image with copics.  I added a bit of stitching, some pearls, seam binding, and twine.  The fishtail end of the sentiment banner was made with a small square punch. 

Supplies include:

Sweet n' Sassy Stamps Morning Glory

Versamagic Aloe Vera chalk ink 

SU Basic Black carstock

Basic Gray dp

Twine (The Twinery)

SU seam binding (Pear Pizzaz)

Pearls

Sewing machine

Copics

Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles Large

Small square punch

Here's another project:

This is a new set called Butterfly Flourish with all kinds of curly bits that make me think of butterflies fluttering over wispy grass!  I stamped directly onto dp, then made a frame with an oval Nestie and an embossing folder.  I ran a chalk inkpad over the embossing to add a little bit of definition and then popped up the frame over the stamped dp.  The set includes a beautiful little "thank you" which I've incuded on a tag attached with silver cord.

Supplies include:

Sweet n' Sassy Stamps Butterfly Flourish

Cuttlebug embossing folder

Colorbox piment ink (Robin's Egg)

Versafine Black Onyx ink

Tag punch

Pearl brads

Silver cord

Mini hole punch

Memory Box dp

SU Basic Black cardstock

Thanks so much for stopping by!  Your next stop on the hop is with the VERY talented Holly McMillen.

Here's a complete list of the hop bloggers today.  If you've come across the hop here first, you might want to go back to the beginning so you don't miss a single thing!

Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps Blog

Korin Sutherland

Kim Singdahlsen

Giovana Smith

Dina Kowal

Jessica Fick

Kim Schofield
Mary Faus

Monika Davis

Bridget Finlay

Holly McMillen

Cathy McCauley

Amber Hillman

                               Wendy Jordan (our February guest)

Taylor Usry

Don't forget the February Release Party over at Splitcoaststampers in the Member Company Forum starting at 8:00 pm EST.  There'll be challenges and lots of fun and chat with fellow stampers!